Ever Changing as the Sea
by Lizzylove4ever
Summary: mid AWE, Elizabeth finds a way to travel back in time to save Jack from his horrible fate. Things begin to go better with Jack, however, and she doesn't wish to travel back in time any longer. The morning, she wakes up back in Port Royal. JE. EDITED
1. Chapter 1

_Ever Changing as the Sea_

_By Lizzylove4ever_

Chapter 1

It was dusky and very humid below deck. It was so hot it was getting hard for her to breathe. Elizabeth wished to venture back upstairs, but there was no way she could face him right now. Not like the deck would be any better anyway. They had been sailing back from the locker through the most dreadful heat she had ever experienced. But Elizabeth could care less about the weather. She was sure Jack hated her and he had every reason to. The dehydration from the heat was nothing to the feeling that ailed her most.

_Guilt. Mind numbing, stomach twisting guilt. _Even after they had rescued Jack, nothing had changed. Jack Sparrow hadn't forgiven her. He hadn't even given her a chance to explain, to say she was sorry. Not only was he not talking to her, but he was avoiding her completely. So that is why she preferred to spend the blazing hot days down in the musty, old cellar below deck. If he didn't want to talk to her then she didn't have to talk to him. But she need to talk to him, to free her from the guilt that was unsurpassable without his forgiveness. But that's impossible. Jack would never forgive her. And why should he? Why would anyone forgive his murderer?

Elizabeth felt like a horrible person. She was so ashamed of herself. Why had she done that? There must have been another way to save them all besides killing a man who had been a faithful friend to her and saved her life countless times just when he let his guard down! _He_ had let his guard down. _Captain Jack Sparrow_ had let his guard down! He had opened up to her like he had never down with anyone else. And how did she repay him? By stabbing a knife into his back.

He had saved them all. Again. Jack had done the right thing. He was a good man, and that lead him to his death.

He was willing to give up his most prized possession, _The Black Pearl_, the ship he had sold his soul for, just so they could all escape. He had sailed the seven seas just to get The Pearl back, and he had to witness her sinking to the depths, along with his soul.

_"We are a lot alike, you know. You and I. I and you. Us."_

He was right. He was always right. They were very much alike. The both wanted the same things.

_"You long for freedom, to do what you want because you want it, to act on selfish impulse. One day, you won't be able to resist. You're going to want to know what it tastes like."_

She had acted on selfish impulse. _The kiss. _No! She loved will, and he loved her back. The kiss was just lust, a foolish act of desire. It ment nothing. Even if it had, she had killed that just like she had killed Jack.

_"To Freedom"_

_"T' the Pearl. Cause what The Pearl really is, is freedom."_

She loved that ship almost as much as her captain did. _The Black Pear_l was her home. Or at least it used to be.

Will wished to return to Port Royal and live the life that he had always dreamed of, but her? Port Royal was never in any of her dreams. All of her dreams included salty wind blowing through her hair, and a ships wheel beneath her fingertips.

There was no place for her now though. She was almost certain she was not welcome on _The Pearl_ anymore. Elizabeth and Jack had barely spoken, which did nothing to soothe her nerves and sadness. She hated herself for leaving Jack to the Kraken and also for betraying Will. She had kissed Jack. She had cheated, no matter how many times she told herself that was the only way she could save Will, the more she knew, deep down inside, that it was a lie. She hadn't even managed to tell Will about it before...

_"Oh, she hasn't told you. Ye'll have lots t'talk about while yer here."_

Why hadn't she told him? Was she afraid that Will would hate after killing Jack? Or was it the kissing part of the story she was more worried about?

Two Betrayals. Two men that meant the world to her. Lies. When had she become such a wretched, untrustworthy, wicked...

_"Pirate."_

She could still the ring of the chains, and taste the rum and spices on his breathe.

_"I'm not sorry." _She lied under her breathe, looking to the his dark eyes that shone with a mixture of pride and betrayal.

_"Peas in a Pod, Darling."_

She had come over to his side in the end, and he hers, their sides reversed. Jack was a good man...Maybe they weren't so alike after all.

Footsteps echoed as the came down the steps. Elizabeth looked up in shock, hoping that it wouldn't be the man who so occupied her thoughts.

Tia Dalma looked at Elizabeth with sadness, not seeing the innocent, naive Governors daughter that once was.

"Elizabeth Swann. Dere seems to be many dings dat ail you. and one is to dink it is not de dreadful heat of dese doldrums."Recited Tia as she crossed the cellar, making her way slowly to where Elizabeth sat on the dirty floor of the cellar.

"I just feel awful. I though that once we rescued him, everything would be back to the way it used to be." Elizabeth moved over to make room for Tia as Tia pulled out a rum bottle and handed in to Elizabeth. "I just wish there was a way I could take it all back."Elizabeth said with a sigh as she took a swig from the bottle.

"What did you say?" Tia integrated loudly.

"I said..."

"Do you really mean dat?"Tia said snatching elizabeth's hand from the rum bottle and grasping it tightly.

"Um...Yes...Of course I would change it if I could. How can you even ask that?" Asked Elizabeth, slightly hurt that the woman had little faith in her.

"Dere is a way dat I know of to change the past."

"I...I...I don't understand." Elizabeth said at a lost for words.

"Dere is a way for a guilty soul to save de one dey condemned to death by going back in dime."

"Really?"

"Dere is a Pendent. A Pendent dat can make dime like De Sea itself: Always moving and ever changing." Tia Pulled the necklace out of the pocket of her skirt and handed it to Elizabeth. "Dis Pendent can change not just you future but others as well." Tia stared deeply into Elizabeth's eyes, making her feel uncomfortable. "But be warned, for it only works once. Once you change something, there is not going back." Elizabeth finally managed to pull her eyes from the goddess' gaze and examined the necklace in he palm of her hand. It had a charm in the middle that was a silver shell covered with coral and plants of the ocean. The shell had almost a metallic look, and when she turned it in her hand, it reflected the light and turned different shades of blue. The necklace did look like the sea itself. The blue coral and plants outlining the outer edges and the shell looking like the ocean waves when it moved. Not only that, but in the left hand corner, imbedded in the shell, was a black pearl. This reminded her of The Black Pearl sailing on the ocean.

"It's beautiful." SHe whispered, knowing the necklace had some sort of power hidden inside it. "How does it work?"

"You must be truly sorry in order for it to work and you must have part of de person who's future you are changing."

"Meaning..."Elizabeth asked, slightly confused.

"In order to change someone else's fate, meaning Jack Sparrow's, you must have dat person with you."

"Jack would never.."

"No, no, not Jack. You must obtain a piece of the person." The Goddess explained.

"Literally or figuratively?"

Tia Dalma chuckled. "Both. It must be a part of him physically and spiritually."

"By Spiritually you mean..." Elizabeth questioned, remembering Jacks "Marr-i-age" Proposal. "Him Heart..." Elizabeth started to panic. Elizabeth could see it. His heart in her hands, thudding and pounding to a steady beat. Just like Davy Jones'. She could see herself standing above Jack's almost lifeless body, his face twisted in pain. THe only movement she could see was his chest shuddering violently, begging for air. But then, suddenly, the heart stops moving. The rhythmic beat ceases. His chest that was rising up and down comes to a abrupt halt, all expression wiping off his face. Elizabeth looked down at her hands. Just a moment ago the heart had been moving soundly, keeping Jack alive. But when she looked down she didn't only see the heart, but a knife as well. She had stabbed him in the heart. She had betrayed his trust. She had killed him. Elizabeth threw her head in her hands and burst into tears without warning. Why was she acting like this? Maybe she had misunderstood? Elizabeth wiped her tears away and opened her eyes. She tilted her head to the side, brushing away the last of the tears and squinted to see Tia Dalma. But she had disappeared into nowhere. Now Elizabeth would never know the ture meaning. Getting up, Elizabeth stuffed the necklace into her breeches pocket and headed for the stairs. Then she head the creaking sound of a door opening from the rum cellar.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack Sparrow carefully stood up from his stool, only to collapse onto the floor beneath him. After some very dangerous swaying, Jack clutched the side of the ship for support and he stumbled to his feet. "Bugger." He muttered under his breath. He had gotten himself drunk again. Not like he didn't know how handle his rum, quite the opposite really. He knew all about rum and it's lustful powers; how it can be your biggest assent or your biggest enemy, how it's seductive powers have ruined even the best of men, how it can effect the mind, altering how you feel and how you sense things... And this, this is why Jack loves his rum. It takes away the pain... The pain, who's name was Elizabeth Swann. "Perhaps it is possible t' have too much t'drink." He grumbled as he snatched up the keys and began searching for an even larger bottle of rum.

Jack had been drinking since, well, before he could remember. But lately, the bad habit, had become some sort of a constant aid to him, a net catching him before he falls completely into a dark hole. Since they had rescued him, all he ever saw was her, his ever so charming murderess. Everywhere he went she was already there. If not physically there, she was present in his mind, haunting him. There was nowhere to hide from the torturing effects of the locker, the worst of it, being in her presence. So he decided to drink "The Pain" away. Rum had always been a comfort to him. "Rum is Good," he thought out loud, when he found an unopened bottle.

Unscrewing it with his teeth, he spit out the cork and drank almost half the bottle at once.

His stomach gave an upward thrust and made him feel nauseous.

"Not good." Jack groaned and quickly headed for the door. But right outside the door he heard a noise. Not just any noise. He heard someone crying as if...as if they were in agony. He recognized that voice.

"Elizabeth" He said to himself. He froze and cupped his ear to the door. Maybe she was sorry after as...

"I'm not sorry."

How those words had tortured him! It was as if she didn't care at all if he lived and breathed, as if he were a mere insect beneath her shoe, too low and unimportant. It made him feel as if he was not good enough, that he was just a pathetic, lowly sparrow, and bloody Turner was the bald eagle!

Everywhere he went he was thinking of her. He couldn't control himself. Everywhere he went on the Pearl there was something that reminded him of her. The railing… "Curiosity" The steps… "Mar-i-age"

The mast…

"I always knew you where a good man." Jack shuddered as he remembered their first, last, and only kiss. Why did she have to do that? Why did he even let her? Curiosity kills the cat I guess…. Or the Sparrow rather.

He, Captain Jack Sparrow, had gotten hurt. He had trusted her. Out of everyone in his life, he had trusted her the most. He let all his walls come down around her and she repaid him by stabbing in the heart. At least that's what it felt like. Maybe this is how old squid-face felt when Calypso betrayed him.

He honestly shouldn't be this upset with her, I mean, she did what was right by her. She owned him nothing. She was engaged to Will and, no matter how much he'd liked to pretend otherwise, he knew she loved Will. If they had never helped him escape, they would be living happily in Port Royal or England somewhere, popping out babes by the hour, wearing frumpy clothes, white wigs and having tea with the Queen.

"Blah!" Jack thought, sticking out his tongue.

'Stop thinking about this stuff, Jackie. It will only make you more upset. Think of something more plesent, she did kiss ya, didn't she?'

Not that it was anything personal, of course. Just a nice distraction before she drove the knife into his back. She kissed and killed him just to save her dear William's life. The stupid little whelp. She had used him and he had let her get away with it.

Part of him wanted to rip her to pieces and seek revenge on her for what she had done. She would understand. She always understood. "Peas in a Pod"

And then, he listened to the quiet sobbing woman through the door, how vulnerable and fragile she really was; How she was not trying to be brave and heroic. How he wanted to throw his arms around her and kiss her until her tears dried, and his angry thoughts were gone, as if the past had been erased.

But that could never happen. The past was engraved in stone. There was no changing it. There was no mending this broken heart, no matter how much he wanted thing to be right between them. He wouldn't let his guard down again.

He listened intently at the door and when he could no longer heard her crying, he decided it was probably safe to go in. Forcing the door open, he sauntered out and noisily slammed it shut, still holding onto his brand new bottle of rum.

The he stopped, immobilized by coming face to face with the person he had so long avoided.

Elizabeth didn't dare move. What was she supposed to say? That she was sorry? If she did he probably wouldn't believe it.

Jack stared at Elizabeth. He could tell she had been crying. Tears still clung to her eyelashes and stained her cheeks. He could tell she was sorry, but it still pained him just to look at her. To see her like that.

" Just had to fetch some rum you know. Sorry for startling you." He smoothly covered his feelings and tried to stay lighthearted, not wanting to make her any guiltier.

" Oh, no, of course. It's your ship. You don't have to apologize."

Silence pasted between them. They had been avoiding each other for so long that they had scarcely spoke to each at all. Not since the Pearl sank. Not since Elizabeth killed him.

Elizabeth couldn't look into his eyes. They saw right through her. She didn't want him to feel sorry for her. He shouldn't be. He didn't own her that. He didn't own her anything...

Jack could tell that Elizabeth was very upset. He wanted to comfort her, but was afraid that she would just brush him off or even worse, feel even more awful about what she had done. Jack had to use all his strength not to pull her into his arms and whisper hushed comforts into her ear. It was too much for him. He couldn't just stand there and see her in that much pain and not be able to help her.

"Well then, I really must go tend to the helm. 'Night." Jack hurriedly ran up the stairs and made his way to his cabin. He had shut the door quickly, and let out a sigh of relief, for he now was safe from himself.

He had left. She was not sure if she should go after him. Jack didn't seem like he wanted to see her and she couldn't blame him. It was her fault, it was all her fault.

Elizabeth made herself go on deck. The sky was dark and the water looked just like it, as if it were a mirror reflecting it's own image. The whole deck seemed to be eerily quiet. Jack wasn't at the wheel like he said he would be. Barbossa was still steering. This made Elizabeth wonder, " Where had Jack really gone?"

She couldn't find Tia Dalma either, which was very strange. Hadn't she just been below deck talking to her?

Elizabeth went over to talk to Gibbs, the infinite storyteller, and resident superstitious fool.

"Mr. Gibbs." Elizabeth greeted him with a smile, an increasingly rare sight.

"Miss Elizabeth." Replied Gibbs nervously. Jack had given him special instructions not to talk to her about him or his whereabouts.

" I was wondering if you could help me with something"

Gibbs sighed. "Yes, of course. As long as it doesn't involve the captain."

So Jack had been telling Gibbs and the crew to avoid her.

" Oh, no. I was wondering if you could help me figure out a certain riddle" Elizabeth lied seamlessly.

"Ah! Yes of course" said very relived Gibbs.

"It must be part of a person physically and spiritually."

"Well that's easy Miss Elizabeth! Physically meaning a part of them or something they own. A possession. But the possession must be something they love…. Like… something they don't hate, really." Said Gibbs, babbling on.

" Thank you so much Mr. Gibbs! I've been trying to figure it out for ages." She said sweetly and pecked him on the cheek, causing Gibbs to blush a shade of pink. Gibbs had always been almost like a father to her. With her father still in Port Royal, Elizabeth hadn't had anyone to ask advice from, so that was when she turned to Gibbs.

" Thanks again!" She yelled as she headed downstairs to her quarters.

But she quickly stopped when she heard some familiar voices shouting.

"That's what I said! It's the Captains!" yelled one angry voice

"Where'd ye find it?" demanded the other

" Right on deck, I did. I'm not giving it back neither."

She knew those voices. Elizabeth peeped out her head from below deck and sure enough, Pintel and Ragetti were both arguing about one of Jacks rings they Pintel had found.

"I think it's a real, genuine emerald" suggested Ragetti

"Gnaw. Captain Sparrow would never own anything like that." Interjected Pintel

"No, I think it is." Ragetti insisted

"If it was why would the Captain have it!" Shouted Pintel

"I don't know maybe its part of his family inheritance."

"Family inheritance. Ha! It's not even a real jewel. See I'll prove it to you. If it is a real emerald it would sink. Watch this!"

Pintel was about to drop the ring when something caught his eye in the water and distracted him.

" I wonder what would happen if we dropped a cannon ball on one of them" Ragetti chuckled slyly.

The two set off towards the canons, leaving the ring on the railing.

Elizabeth moved swiftly toward the railing and snatched the ring. It was one of Jacks and she knew it was one of his particular favorites. She then stuffed it into the pocket of her breeches where she had put the pendent and went back below deck to find Will. She had to say some sort of a goodbye. After this, nothing would ever be the same again. Not after this.

Review Please! I would love to hear what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I know what I want, I know what I want, I know what I want!" shouted Jack exasperated at his compass. It refused to point anywhere else but on deck. They had been sailing around without a heading for the longest time now and they seemed to be going nowhere fast. But the only direction the arrow was pointing was at Elizabeth.

Jack reached out for his rum and chugged down the rest of the bottle. Why did he care? Why couldn't he let her go? She had made her decision, that she didn't want him. He should be done with the girl! But he wasn't. What about my decision! he screamed inwardly. Don't I have a say in the matter? He slammed the rum bottle on the table, and walked aimlessly around the room, trying to find something to get her off his mind.

Turner does. Of course bloody Will does. He does anything he wants and the bonnie lass lets him get away with it. Unlike me. I leave The Pearl behind for five minutes, and then come back and the whole battles gone to pot! Before I know it I'm strapped to a mast, waiting for a beastie to gobble me up.

Jack couldn't stand himself. What had that damn woman done to him?Captain Jack Sparrow jealous of a eunuch? It's not possible!

Jack shoved open his trunk and threw the charts that he had stolen them from Barbossa's cabin down on his desk. He had just begun to examine them when suddenly he heard some commotion out on deck, and thought he'd better be safe and check to see that it was not another mutiny.

* * *

Will was standing with his back to her, staring at the starry night through his cabin window. He loved to see the stars reflect on the water on a cloudless night. There was something strange about the water tonight though. It didn't seem as though it was merely the stars reflection on the water he saw, but the stars themselves.

"It's a beautiful night." Elizabeth said timidly, drawing Will attention away from the scenic view outside.

"Yes it is." Will's voice was very distant.

He must hate me.

Why hadn't she told him? She should have told him before. What was there to be afraid of at the time?

Oh, yes. His reaction.

Well, no use now. I guess that ship has sailed.

"Will, I'm so sorry," pleaded Elizabeth desperately. She knew Will had expected her to share everything with him once they got engaged. Engaged. She had almost married Will. He would now be her husband if their wedding had not been interrupted. A sudden chill ran through her. Does she not what marry him anymore?

"I had no other choice…"

Will looked at Elizabeth, almost glaring at her with the intensity of his gaze.

"You choose not to tell me." He retorted bitterly

"It was my burden to bear."

Will had no words. Why didn't she trust him? Was there something he had not been seeing for the past few months? Had there truly been more to the kiss like he had suspected?

"I did bear it. I just didn't know what it was." Will confessed.

Elizabeth was shocked. He had seen the kiss. He knew. He knew that she had betrayed him. Then why hadn't he said something? Why hadn't he been furious with her and insisted that she told him the truth immediately after she had gotten into the longboat. Why had he even gone along with them to worlds end?

Because he loves me. And because he thought I loved….

"You thought I loved him." She uttered in disbelief. Her stomach fluttered nervously. How could he think that? Will was her fiancé. Of course she loved him... in a way.

No. She couldn't lie to herself any longer. Not anymore. She had been lying to herself ever since the kiss. A nagging twinge of guilt stirred inside her as she began to think about how much damage she had already done. Surely she couldn't hurt another man in her life like she had injured the other? But deep in her heart, she new it could not go on much longer.

Elizabeth couldn't just stand there pretending to feel something she didn't. She had to tell Will. She had to let him know that something had changed. She had changed. She was no longer the young, naïve, Governor's daughter that she had once been and she no longer desired the same things. And somewhere along the line, what she had felt for him just, stopped. But how?

Elizabeth turned quickly, attempting to flee the room, not knowing what to do, when a strong arm grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the center of the room.

"If you make your choices alone, how can I trust you? Will demanded, not letting go of her arm.

Choices. Her choices. She had made so many unwisely. She had been mistaken about her feelings for Will, and become engaged to him… She had made an unwise bargain with a pirate causing her to get kidnapped… And she had killed the man she truly loved.

"You can't." she admitted simply, rushing up the stairs away from Will and her old feelings for him. She was a pirate after all. She could not be trusted. Elizabeth smirked inwardly thinking of how Jack would have reacted to her years ago."So you came over to my side after all."

She had to find Jack.

Will hurried up the stairs after Elizabeth.

While running up the steps two by two after her, hundreds of questions flooded into his head. Why couldn't he trust her? What had he done wrong and how could he make it up to her?

Why was his fiance being so secretive?

All his questions had come to a halt though when he arrived on deck and heard Elizabeth cry out a certain pirate captain's name. He watched heart-broken as she dashed right past him to the pirate without even giving him a second thought.

* * *

Jack upon leaving his cabin and not being thrown into the brig had decided that it could not possibly be a mutiny. That's what had happened last time. If it was, they would have be waiting for him to unlock his door and venture out, catching him unawares. Curiosity continued to page him, however, so Jack decided to go on deck, even if it meant that he might have to take the helm.

So what if he was a tad bit drunk! He had steered The Pearl drunk loads of times.

Stepping out on deck, Jack saw the most peculiar sight. Instead of the normal rowdy crew of pirates, everyone was deathly silent. They were standing along the edges of the ship. Most were leaning over the railing, and seemed to be very interested in the eerily still water.

Sauntering to the railing, Jack peered over the edge, squinting with confusion and suspicion. In the water, were boats and boats of people, all of them looking pale and lifeless. He didn't need to ask who they were or why they were there. They were in the land of the dead.

They were souls that had died at sea.

Losing some of his color himself, he backed away and went to take the wheel from Barbossa. Just the thought of death made him lose his appetite.

"My turn, Hector," Jack said arrogantly when he arrived at the helm. How darn the yeasty cod beast steer me ship.

Barbossa gritted his teeth together "Ah, I see ye 'ave finally decided to tend to yer captainly duties. After all I'm only a lowly chartsman." Barbossa bellowed, forcing hate in every syllable. If not for the Brethren Court, he probably would have shot Jack then and there.

"Glad to know ye know yer place." retorted Jack, pushing Barbossa's buttons. Jack found it rather amusing when Hector was angry. Jack moved to stand next to wheel, and smirked seeing Barbossa's knuckles turn white from clutching the spokes. "Now if you'd be so kind." Jack flicked his hands towards the wheel, with a sly look in his eyes.

"Fine." Barbossa huffed and let go of the wheel and barged off. He had much more important things to examine in his cabin.

Normally, The wheel being released would have caused the ship to make an abrupt turn, but Jack had been faster than it. He caught the wheel before the Pearl wavered even an inch.

Jack took his place at the wheel and looked up at the sky. It was stunning. Above him, the sky was speckled with little stars everywhere, casting a dim glow on the rigging and the sails. If not for the fact that they were in The Locker, it would've been a perfect night. Or at least it would've been if she were here beside him.

"Jack!" The voice of his thoughts shrieked.

No…it can't be

He then heard the light pounding of her footsteps on the stairs coming up to the helm. Before he knew it he was face to face with his murderess again.

"Jack.." Elizabeth smiled affectionately at him. She loved to see him on his Pearl. A captain belongs t the helm of a ship and Jack was no exception.

"Elizabeth.." This can't be happening.

"Jack…I..I need to talk to you" nervously glancing around, noticing all the people. "In private." She added. She couldn't very well express her feeling in front of the whole crew! Especially Will. That would break his heart.

"Ah…well you see I'm," Jack tried to control himself. Don't be so eager. She killed you last time remember?

"Jack…Please," said Elizabeth, almost begging, her eyes still glistening slightly. Self-conscience of the fact, she slide her hands into her pocket, fidgeting with the ring with her thumb.

"Alright come on," said Jack softly, giving in. Gently guiding her down the steps to the main deck, Jack couldn't control himself from placing his hand on her lower back.

He continued to rest his hand there as he began to steer her towards the stairs to talk when she stopped and ran over to the railing in disbelief. Something had caught her eye.

"It's my Father. We've made it back" She exclaimed happily. "Father! Over here! Father! Look over Here!" She continued to shout enthusiastically, but Weatherby Swann refused to turn his head.

"Elizabeth," Jack crooned, trying to say what had to be said in the most comforting way possible. "We're not back."

Elizabeth shifted her eyes between Jack and her father. "No…No. Father!" she screamed, refusing to believe that Jack was telling the truth. Her father couldn't be...

"Elizabeth? Are you dead?" Her father questioned sadly from the longboat.

"No. No." Elizabeth responded almost inaudibly.

"I think I am." The elder man struggled, squinting up at her.

"No you can't be!" Elizabeth cried, trembling.

"Grab the line!" She climbed up on the railing and tossed a rope to him. "Come back with us. The line, grab the line!" sobbed Elizabeth desperately.

"I'm so proud of you Elizabeth. I'm give your love to your mother shall I." He managed to say before he drifted from view.

"No! No! Father!" Elizabeth screamed, trying to call him back to him, running towards the bow.

"She must not leave the ship!" She heard someone yell.

Then all the sudden a pair of arms restrained her and pulled her toward a strong chest. She looked up, searching for familiar, dark brown eyes, but instead met honey colored ones. Will. Maybe Jack really didn't care after all. Perhaps he wanted her to fe the pain.

All she wanted was to seek comfort in his arms, but Jack was nowhere to be seen. He must have fled when he had the chance.

Just a moment ago she was going to tell him about her true feelings for him. Now she doubted that she ever would.

* * *

Jack strolled into his cabin and threw his hat on his desk. He had to leave. He couldn't bear to see her in pain. Lizzie. My Lizzie suffering. She's not yours mate. He couldn't stand to see a woman cry. He could kill a man in cold blood, and face a bloody Kraken, but when it came to weeping women, he was a goner. Why couldn't they all just be happy all the time? Well her father just died what did you expect? Little Miss Sunshine? No. Of course he didn't. He understood her situation completely. His mum had died when he was very young and he had never been the same since. Of course she was upset. Who wouldn't be after they lost both of the parents?

He just couldn't just stand there as another man comforted her and held her in there arms. He wanted to comfort her. For once he wanted to be the hero, the knight in bloody shining armor. He wanted to make her smile and erase all the gloomy thoughts from her mind. But that wouldn't happen and quite probably never would. Not in his lifetime.

_She's spoken for, mate. Likely would be married now if it wasn't for you._

That's all there was to it. She didn't want him or need him rather. She didn't even seem to want to even talk to him what urgent matter had she wanted to talk about just a moment ago?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Will lifted Elizabeth and pulled her into his chest, carrying her down the stairwell towards her cabin. Elizabeth was too distracted, mourning over her father's death to notice or protest when he picked her up.

Will gently set her on her bed, lightly brushing a strand of hair from her face in the process.

Elizabeth needed someone to console her. And since Will had known her father very well, he seemed like the best possible candidate. Next to best….

"Thank you, Will." She murmured as Will sat on the side of her bed. She needed to talk to someone: to have a good cry. But she couldn't do that with Will. Not now. Not now that she knew that she had been lying to herself.

"It was no trouble, really." Will said understanding how she felt. His mother had died very young and he had been devastated at the time. And the of course there was the matter of his missing father.

"I'm feeling rather exhausted actually." She hinted For him to leave.

Catching it, Will fled from her bed and drifted towards the door.

"I'll be going then, if that is what you want." Said Will almost whispering.

"Thank you Will, for everything." Elizabeth gratefully replied.

"Good Night Elizabeth," Will opened the door, prepared to leave, but held it with his palm, waiting for her to change her mind.

"Good Night Will," Elizabeth replied, her mind drifting off to muse over her father.

Will abandoned Elizabeth's room, solemnly staring at the floor, wishing there was a way he could help her. If only...

His thoughts stopped instantly when two brown boots appeared right before him.

Looking up to see the owners face, Will wasn't that surprised to see Jack. Nor was he surprised that Jack happened to be headed in the direction of Elizabeth's cabin. What could he possibly want there? Will didn't want the answer to that question.

"Jack." Will glared at Jack suspiciously.

"Just thought I'd check and see how your bonnie lass was doing. She looked down right medieval out on deck." Will was in no mood to deal with Jack right now. He was extremely tired and all he wanted was to get some much-needed sleep.

"Why don't you go check yourself then?" barked Will. Elizabeth would probably just kick Jack out anyways. She would say that she was fine, and demand that Jack leave her alone. Maybe that will teach Jack a lesson.

"I do believe I will." Jack responded as he began to walk down the hallway, the swagger in his step emphasized by the bottles of rum he had had early.

A two for one! He got to see Elizabeth. And with Will's blessing too.

Will watched in disbelief as Jack knocked on the door lightly, tilting his head towards the door and then proceeded to walk in without waiting for a response.

He's in for it now, Will smirked, as he walked down the hall towards his room.

* * *

After not hearing anything inside the door, Jack had decided to risk going in, hoping that she was just asleep. But to his very great astonishment, she wasn't. Elizabeth was sitting up on her bed, her head in her hands, bawling in complete despair. She had lost both parents now. There was no one left. She was all alone and there was no one she could turn to. Jack couldn't take it. He dashed towards the bed, and locked her in his arms; drawing her head towards his chest, letting her soak his shirt with her tears. Elizabeth didn't dare move. She thought if she moved a muscle she would wake up from this lovely dream she was in and would be forced back into reality.

"Lizzie.." Jack crooned, hugging her more tightly.

Elizabeth noticed that he used his pet name for her and smiled through the tears.

"Oh, Jack," she choked out through her tears. She couldn't believe it. He was actually here after all she had done to him, he was comforting her.

"Shush, luv. Everything will be all right." Jack rubbed her back up and down, trying to soothe her. He had never done this before.

"Jack,"

"I'm here Lizabeth. Old Jacks not going anywhere," whispered Jack into her ear.

Elizabeth pulled back slightly and relaxed looking into his dark brown eyes.

_Jack was here for me. _

" Come on, Lizzie. Dry up those tears. Your father wouldn't want that," implored Jack, trying to make her stop.

"It's just that I miss him so much already. I was away for so long... I wasn't even there when he died!" Elizabeth buried her face in his chest once more, pulling herself as close to Jack as possible. "I barely even talked to him after my mother died." Elizabeth continued. "And now it's too late."

"Now, now Lizzie, there's no use in crying. Your father loved you. Even if you weren't there when he died, he knew you wanted to be. He was awfully proud of you. You've shown bravery when faced with dangers many lasses your age couldn't even imagine . You need to be brave for _him_ now," implied Jack. He could not bear her crying any longer. He wanted his Lizzie: the brave, beautiful, stubborn women that she was.

"You're right." Elizabeth muttered as she reluctantly drew back from Jack, loosening herself from his grip. "I'm sorry Jack. I should have never pushed all of this on you. I didn't mean to. I really just needed someone to confide in."

"And what about our dear William," Jack questioned and watched in amazement when she grimaced slightly at the name.

"I'd prefer not to talk about him." Elizabeth retorted, becoming herself again.

Noticing this, Jack lifted his hand hesitantly and brushed away the remaining tears from her checks, causing Elizabeth to practically lean into his touch.

Elizabeth shyly leaned toward him. Seizing the moment, Jack cautiously inclined his face to hers slowly, scared that she might run away. Meeting her eyes, he saw no hesitation. Elizabeth wanted him. Flitting his eyes to her mouth, he closed the gap between them, catching her lips softly in an ardent kiss. Then to Jack's utter amazement, she did not pull away. She was kissing him back. Their mouths seemed to dance together. What began as a simple kiss, lengthened into an unceasing, desperate plea for this moment not to end. As there lips continued to entwine, Jack gathered his arms around her, placing one hand behind her head and other hand firmly on her waist, closing any space between them. Breaking the kiss to catch her breath, Elizabeth situated her arms to rest behind his neck. She refused to remove her gaze from his eyes. They were the most beautiful things she had ever seen, the dark chocolate color captivating her heart. Jack looked at Elizabeth intently. Her golden hair framed her pale, slightly flushed, porcelain skin; her eyes a radiant shade of honey brown, sparkling up at him. She really was the prettiest, most alluring girl he had ever met. Jack began to plant light, open mouth kisses on the plane of Elizabeth's neck, causing her to gasp slightly. Jack chuckled against her skin and continued his path downward onto her collarbones.

"Jack," Elizabeth protested almost inaudibly.

Jack continued to kiss her, pretending not to hear her. Jack made his way back up towards her face, bending over her, kissing her mouth once more on the lips, deepening it this time, trying to break the barrier of her teeth with his tongue.

"Jack, no," she stammered, not truly knowing if she wanted him to stop.

But he did, rather reluctantly, still keeping Elizabeth locked in his arms.

"I can't," she blubbered. Her thoughts were blurry and she couldn't concentrate.

"What because of Will?" Jack angrily blurted out. Why did he have to ruin everything?

"Well if you must know, yes." Retorted Elizabeth, getting annoyed.

"Ah, of course." Jack bounded of the bed and towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Elizabeth said worried, following him into the hallway.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was under the impression that this discussion was over!" Jack said very miffed about the whole situation.

"It most certainly is not!" Elizabeth marched toward Jack out of the doorway to stand in the center of the hall, her chin held high. _How dare he try to leave her like that! After what they just did?_

Jack drawled back to Elizabeth arrogantly, with a smirk on his face, trying to cover up his true feelings on the matter at hand.

"I can't just very well run off with you without even giving Will an explanation as to why!" she fumed, aggravated by his manner.

"Why not?" He pouted.

"Why not! Why not! Well one, Will would be extremely hurt if I left and didn't even say goodbye, two, he would probably come after you seeking his revenge or thinking I was kidnapped, and three, he _is_ my fiancé. I bet someday he would wonder why I ran off with another man."

The word stung. _Fiancé._

"I've got an explanation for Master about you tell Mr. Turner that singing voice is quite lovely and all, but being the fair maiden that you are,you prefer to be with a real man...like a certain Pirate Captain perhaps," Jack said analyzing her reaction.

She was stunned. Did he know? No, he couldn't possibly.

"How can you be so presumptuous?" Elizabeth bantered on flirtatiously.

"One word luv. Instinct." He responded smiling slyly.

"Well, perhaps, Captain Sparrow, you should not assume things by your instincts, but ask the said 'fair maiden' instead." Elizabeth replied stubbornly, not portraying her true feelings. Turning on her heel, she tried to retreat back inside her cabin.

Jack took her by the arm and forced her towards him."I have a better idea," he whispered huskily, his mouth inches from hers before he soundly kissed her, responding to the way her shoulders became less tense under his fingertips. Elizabeth began to kiss him back, giving in to his touch and wrapping her arms around his neck. Jack's hot breath blew into her face, causing her to become intoxicated by the smell and taste of rum and spices from his mouth. Moving her hand up, she cupped the side of his face then slanted her mouth against his. Jack kept one palm flat on Elizabeth's waist, while he tangled his other hand in her hair, some of her hair getting caught on his rings in the process. But Elizabeth could care less. All that mattered was his lips on hers, there souls joined together. Before she knew it she was backed up against the wall, her chest heaving from the lack of oxygen.

"I'll tell Will tomorrow, I promise," Her vow almost unheard as he kissed her neck.

Jack gave her a roguish smile and then shifted his eyes from hers to examine their location as Elizabeth began to kiss his face. They were out in the hall, very near to all cabins, leaning against her door. The hall seemed unoccupied except…

His eyes froze, staring at something over her shoulder.

Panic shone in Jack's eyes as they darted back to Elizabeth's. He quickly loosened his grip and murmured in her ear. "Darlin', I don't think ye'll have to wait till tomorrow."

Dreading who might be in the hall along with them, Elizabeth spun around slowly, and then came to an abrupt was Will. He had witnessed the whole thing. How could he have just stood there? She was very surprised that he had not punched Jack yet. _He must have good self-control_ she thought to herself. Will just stared at them. Elizabeth stood slightly in front of Jack, looking at the man before her with wide-eyes. Jack merely leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, surveying the scene as if waiting for the opportune moment.

"So! Is there something you want to tell me," Will finally shouted, breaking the silence.

"Will…. I'm so sorry." Elizabeth felt extremely awkward. Did he really see the whole thing?

"About what? The fact that you lied to me or the fact that you cheated on me? Or perhaps something else." Will challenged.

"Both, but," Elizabeth started, but was interrupted by Will.

"Both huh. Well, I'm glad you conscience gives you some trouble, though maybe not as much as you deserve." Elizabeth had hurt him. Bad. He didn't care if her father had just died. He wanted he to feel the pain that he had experienced watching her and….that pirate kiss.

"If I may I just jump in here."

Jack moved from the wall with his hands folded behind him. He stopped so that he was directly in front of Elizabeth, protecting her from Will. Then he motioned to Elizabeth behind his back pointing his thumb towards his cabin door.

"I'll deal with you later, Sparrow." Will growled trying to sound menacing.

"No. I'd much rather you deal with me now, seeing as my bonnie lass has left."

Will looked around and indeed, Elizabeth was no where to be found.

"She's not yours." Retorted Will fuming.

"Oh, I rather think she is." Jack said possessively, tilting his head to the side. " Well, at least it is clear she rather prefers my company to yer own." He said cockily.

Jack heard a high-pitched ring as a sword was unsheathed and something sharp and silver pointed at his neck.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Not again. I thought you'd have learned yer lesson by now." Jack glanced down at the sword's sharp end, dangerously close to his neck.

"You forget Jack. I'm a pirate now, remember? You don't stand a chance." Will tightened his grip on his sword, not letting it waver from Jack's neck.

"Ha! You a Pirate! If yer a pirate, that must make me the Queen of England herself!" Jack slowly moved to his left, making his way towards Elizabeth's cabin.

"How dare you touch Elizabeth." Will growled, annoyed by Jacks comment.

"No, no, no, mate. You've got it all wrong! _I_ didn't kiss _her_. _She_ kissed _me_! I'm just an innocent bystander, really!" Jack reached behind his back and grasped the doorknob.

"Innocent! Stop lying you bastard!" Will yelled as he flung his sword at Jack, missing him by and inch, the sword sticking to the cabin door.

Taking advantage of the moment, Jack quickly slipped inside Elizabeth's cabin, looking for a weapon.

The blacksmith pulled out the sword from the door and rushed into the cabin after Jack. Upon seeing him, Will lunged towards him, his sword poised and ready.

Jack bolted towards the bed, shielding himself with the bedpost. Will swung his sword at Jack, barely missing again, cutting the bedpost and the curtain around it in the process.

"What happened to you and your fair fights?" Jack retorted, trying to buy himself more time.

"I'm a pirate now remember?" fumed Will. He hated to admit what he had become. A cheater, a crook, a scoundrel, and on the run from the law. And all because of the man before him. Or was it because Elizabeth? Either way it didn't matter. His life had been ruined.

Will started towards Jack again, his sword held high.

"Ahh!" Jack squeaked out before he dashed over towards the wardrobe, picking up the hat stand that was beside it.

Will's eyes widened when he saw what Jack had picked up. Regaining his position, Will started to pair with Jack, making the first move. Jack easily blocked Will's attacks, battling with both sides of the hat stand. They continued to fight, knocking all kinds of books, dresses and furniture to the floor.

"Face it, you're no match for Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack cockily said as the continued to duel.

"I can fight just as well as you can, and you know it."

"I wasn't talking about the fight, Mister Turner." Jack smirked.

"Enough!" Will screamed as he brought his sword down hard, breaking the hat stand in half. "Now look who's no match for _me_." Will taunted.

Jack threw open the wardrobe door, slamming Will in the face with a thud and causing him to drop his sword.

"Think again, mate." Jack added, before he knocked Will on the head with the base of the hat stand.

* * *

Elizabeth couldn't take it anymore.

_Maybe I shouldn't have left. What is happening? What if they fought? What if Jack is hurt? What if Will is hurt? I may not love him like I used to, but he is still like a brother to me. I don't believe I could ever forgive Jack if he did something terrible. Why did Jack do that anyway? Has he forgiven me? _

Elizabeth stopped her pacing and slumped into the chair by Jack's desk. There was no use in dwelling on things that were only in her head.

_Will wouldn't hurt Jack, would he?_

She buried her face in her hands, trying to calm herself down and stop worrying about Jack. He could take care of himself.

Elizabeth suddenly heard a large bang coming from the direction of her cabin.

Elizabeth sprinted towards her cabin, dreading what could have happened. When she finally reached her doorway, she was afraid of what she would find inside.

Cautiously pushing open the door, Elizabeth peered inside.

Everything was a mess. The books and clothing littered the floor. Her small desk had been thrown to the ground, causing its paper to fall out and the ink to stain the wooden floor. One of her bedposts was broken and its curtains ripped. In the corner, thrown to the side, was her hat stand, broken in two. But what drew Elizabeth's attention the most was the body that lay, unmoving next to her dresser.

"Will…" Elizabeth gasped, almost inaudibly. She dashed towards Will motionless body, and crouched down hoping to find a pulse.

And she did. Will was alive, but appeared to be unconscious.

Elizabeth heard the door creak and stood up to see who had entered.

"He's fine." Jack reassured. "There was just a bit of a fight is all."

Elizabeth examined Jack to make sure he was not hurt as well. She noticed a few scrapes on his arms and his face, but nothing too serious. As she continued her examination, she noticed that Jack held a bucket of water and some bandages_. So he is a good man._

"Jack…" Elizabeth whispered, lost for words. She should be very angry with him right now. He had fought Will. What she had always wished would never happen.

Jack moved toward her and pulled her into a strong embrace.

"I'm truly sorry, darlin', but I had to fight. He came at me! I knew you would be upset with me, but really, love, it's not like it's the first time!" Jack babbled on as he tried to make amends for his actions.

"What!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she stepped away from his embrace, "What do you mean it's 'not the first time'?"

"Bugger," Jack muttered himself, forgetting that she did not know about their first little fight in Port Royal.

"Well Mr. Sparrow! So you have anything to say for yourself?" she countered

"Captain! You of all people should know that by now!" bellowed Jack, matching her tone.

"Oh excuse me! You are the one who lied to me, but yet I get yelled at for misusing your title!" she yelled. She normally enjoyed the playful banters they had between them, but this time it was out of hand.

"Lizzie, that happened a long time ago, we had just met.."

"And you destroyed my cabin too!" She continued on angrily.

"Now I can't take all the credit for that. The whelp helped too!" Jack lowered his hand to her waist, continuing to travel down. Elizabeth raised her hand at him.

But Jack was too quick.

"I hardly believe I deserve that, love." Jack kept his hand firmly around her wrist. "That whelp of yours came at me when I didn't have my sword. Can't blame me for using my surroundings!"

"My cabin!" She shouted at him, irritated to no end on how he was trying to get out of saying he was sorry. "And don't call him that!" she added.

"And why not," Jack said arrogantly smirking, regaining his composure.

"Because he is not a whelp, no matter what you say. He is a kind and caring person. He does not deserve to be called such things."

Elizabeth watched in amazement as Jack's smirk disappeared and his eyebrows knitted together. As if Jack was…Jealous?

"Fine." Jack retorted, rather annoyed with the direction the conversation had turned.

Jack turned to leave, when a light touch on his shoulder made him turn around.

"I'm not truly mad at you, Jack. You know I can't stay mad at you for too long." Elizabeth said with a soft smile.

Just now remembering the bucket and bandages in his hands, he lifted them up into Elizabeth's line of vision.

"Help?"

Elizabeth took the bucket from his hands and made her way back to Will. She then began to look for wounds just like she had done with Jack.

Will had only one. A large cut at the crown of his head. It did not seem to be bleeding too terribly, so Elizabeth decided to clean the gash.

Jack crouched down next to her and pulled a knife from his boot to cut the bandages.

Elizabeth gave him a disapproving look. "No weapon, hmm?"

He smiled sheepishly at her as he cut one long, narrow bandage and began to help Elizabeth clean the cut.

Jack watched as her pale, delicate hands brushed over the wound, tending to it with extra care. He watched her hands possessively, suddenly wishing that he had been the one to get hit on the head with a hat stand.

After she was done, Elizabeth threw bloody rag into the bucket. She then took the bandage from Jack, quickly securing it onto Will's head.

Her eyes shifted back to Jack, who was sitting perfectly still, doing nothing else but staring at her. He reached out and softly tucked a hair behind her ear.

"I should go. It's late. You need rest. I'll have some of the crew come and take him away." Jack stood up and offered his hand to help Elizabeth up as well.

Elizabeth shoved her hands in her pocket, running her hands over the engraved metal that laid inside.

"Thank you." Elizabeth managed to smile, faintly. "I almost forgot." Elizabeth said, calling him back.

"I found this. I figured you'd want it back." Elizabeth pulled the emerald ring out from her pocket.

"No. Keep it." Jack smile shown with glittering gold. "Every pirates got to have rings!" He added

"No, Jack I couldn't." She protested, placing into in the palm of his hand.

"No. I insist. It can be the beginning of you collection!" Jack slipped the ring onto her left ring finger, causing Elizabeth to wonder if the gift actually meant something more.

"Thank you, Jack." Elizabeth said as he retreated from the cabin. "For everything. The ring, Will, My father..."

"No problem, darlin'. Just part of a days work is all." Jack took of his hat nonchalantly. "Goodnight, Lizzie" He said as he made an over dramatic bow.

"Night." She said before she pecked him on the cheek and closed her cabin door.

* * *

"Where'd it go?" Jack heard Pintel exclaimed as he made his way up on deck.

"Where'd what go?"

Ragetti came over to stand next to Pintel as he looked around frantically by the railing.

"The captain's ring, you idiot!" Pintel shouted

This caught Jack attention. So they were the ones that had stolen his favorite ring. He lets one of his effects out of his sight for a just a moment and…

"What you mean you lost it?" Ragetti asked, clueless.

"I didn't lose it! You did!" Pintel elbowed Ragetti in the ribs.

Absorbed in their own conversation, Pintel and Ragetti didn't notice that the Captain in question was standing just a few feet away.

"Me! I didn't do anything! It must have been stolen."

"Well, of course it was stolen! I'm the one who stole it remember!" Pintel was annoyed by Ragetti's slow mind.

"No. I mean again. If you ask me, I say it was the monkey." Ragetti glared at Jack the Monkey, who was currently perched on Barbossa's shoulder, at the helm.

Jack cleared his throat to catch their attention.

"Captain!" the both said in unison and jumped in surprise.

"Ah, yes. Masters Pintel and Ragetti. Would you been so kind as to escort Master Turner back to his cabin? The whelp and I had a bit disagreement and needless to say,he is now unconscious. You will find him in Miss Swann's cabin."

Jack couldn't help but say that. He said he wouldn't call Will names anymore, but he could do it when she wasn't there. She would never know.

"But Captain! The Code!" Ragetti acknowledged

"The code?" Jack questioned

"Aye, The Code!" Gibbs appeared out of nowhere, not wanting to miss the chance to share his knowledge of pirate lore. "According to the code, any man who threatens their Captain must be punished in any multitude of horrifying ways. The severest of these being hung by from the main mast."

Jack gulped and clutched his throat, shaking his head to try to get rid of the mental picture of Will's body, swaying in the breeze.

"I see. Well, we'll have to deal with the punishment later, Mr. Gibbs. Can't very well do much pain to a man when we are in the locker, now can I?" Jack smoothed over.

"Very well. But there has to be some sort of punishment, Jack, in the end. Wouldn't want yer own father coming after us, now would ya?" Gibbs remarked before he followed Pintel and Ragetti below deck to take care of Will.

Jack looked out to the sky and the silence waters around them. They had to get out of here. Soon. If not they would surely starve to death. There was nothing to been seen but the sea, going on forever in all directions.

He then took out his compass and opened it, hoping to find a way out of this dreadful place. But no shock, it did not point back to the land of the living. It's arrow was pointed to the thing it had always lately.

Jack slammed his compass shut, seeing that it was a hopeless case. There was no way he was going to find a way back that way.

* * *

Elizabeth heard a sound knock on her door and quickly answered the door.

"Miss Elizabeth."

"Come on in, Mr. Gibbs." She called as she tried to tidy up her room a bit.

"Just came to take him off your hands." Gibbs nodded in the direction of Will, motioning for the pirates to pick him up.

"Thank you. Would you mind letting me know when he wakes up?" She stopped putting some books away, still holding one in her hand.

"Of course, Miss Elizabeth. It would be my pleasure." Gibbs took the large novel from her hand and placed it on the shelf for her, while Pintel and Ragetti struggled to pick Will up.

"The whelp's heavier than I thought." Pintel uttered, out of breath.

_Great_. Elizabeth thought. _Jack's rubbed off on them._

While helping Elizabeth place the books back on their shelves, it did not escape Gibbs's notice that Elizabeth was wearing one of Jack's rings. On the left hand none the less.

Pintel and Ragetti had noticed too. _So that's where the ring went._

Gibbs shifted his eyes from Jacks ring to Will's motionless form.

_What has happened? I thought Miss Elizabeth was engaged to Turner and now he is unconscious? Why did Jack not want to get rid of Will if these are his intentions? Why is Elizabeth wearing Jack's ring? And why was Jack acting stranger than usual lately?_

Right after they had exited Elizabeth's cabin, Gibbs was surprised to see Pintel and Ragetti run towards the crew's cabin, jumping up and odwn the whole way.

"Looks like the captain's engaged boys!"

* * *

Hooting and hollowing broke Jack from his reverie and he decided to go down to see what had gotten he crew so excited after being in the locker for almost a month.

* * *

**Newly Edited Version! I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

A/n- Hope everyone likes the story so far. **Please review**. I'm very interested in your feedback. Thanks to those that have. Freedom's Call, zutarababe, puppiescute a.k.a. mic mic, and Kiki148. If you know someone who still likes Sparrabeth, as we all do, please recommend my story. Oh, and Freedom's Call was my first reviewer. She asked for Jack not to go easy on Will's punishment. Sorry that's not going to make it in this chapter, but it will be soon. Remember, if you review first, you get input on what happens in chapter 7. Thanks again mates!

* * *

It was getting late and Elizabeth was very tired from the emotional day she had had; First with Tia Dalma, then her father and now with Will and Jack.

She needed some rest.

Elizabeth slipped off her breaches and vest, and changed into her nightgown, ready to fall asleep.

Taking the necklace out of her breaches pocket, she held it in her hand, turning it over and over in her palm. She had plans to return it to Tia Dalma in the morning, now having no further use for it…

Unless…Unless she could go back in time and save her father…save Will from getting hurt…save Jack from the Kraken…saving them all this trip to the locker.

Elizabeth drifted into a sound sleep still pondering over what was to come, clutching the shell necklace in her left hand, its chain hanging over the edge off the bed.

* * *

Jack followed the noise into the crew's part of the ship. Everyone seemed to be rather excited, as though they knew some secret no one else knew. Some of the men were drinking, some attempting to sing, while still others still sat on hammocks, joking around.

"Mr. Gibbs." Jack called over to the older man, now absorbed in his bottle of rum.

Gibbs had come down back to the party after carrying Will to his cabin. All the men had been discussing the festivities they were planning for the captain once they got back from the locker. If Captain Jack Sparrow was getting married, he was going out with a bang.

"Captain!" Gibbs sputtered out rum as he realized that Jack had come across their little drinking party.

"Would you care to explain what has gotten my crew in such a fine mood?" Jack looked around questionably at the pirates, laughing and having a grand old time coming up with some sort of scheme.

"Ah…well, Captain…" Gibbs did not want to ruin any surprises for the Captain if he was truly getting married. But he doubted it.

He had known Jack for a long time and Jack was never one for commitment. He did think that there was something going on between Jack and Elizabeth however. Jack had never seemed so out of sorts before, well that was until he was in Elizabeth's presence. Jack probably would have a bad reaction if he found out his crew thought he was getting married. Pirates don't get married; or fall in love for that matter. He would be humiliated if he's crew thought he had gone soft.

"Hey Look!! It the captain!!" One of the crew yelled drunkenly.

"Hey, Congratulations!" A sailor said who sat nearby on a hammock. Others followed.

Jack gave the sailor a smile. "Thank you!"

He then got confused and cocked his head to the side, now looking at Gibbs.

"Congratulations about what?" Jack asked

"Uh…" Gibbs craned he brain for a reason. "The pearl of course. Getting it back and all; and being alive too, of course. You and your clever mind."

Jack couldn't resist flattery. He bought the lie, not knowing any other reason for them to congratulate him.

"Sea turtles, mate. As always." Jack said with a cocky smile before grabbing a bottle of rum and heading off to check on Elizabeth.

Gibbs shook his head and muttered under his breath with a smirk. "Oh, Jack…. Your in for it this time."

* * *

When Jack entered Elizabeth's cabin, she was sound asleep, her body moving up and down with her steady breathing.

Jack moved next to her bed and knelled down beside her, propping his head on his elbow.

Jack stared at her lovingly. Jack liked her the best this way, when she was not worrying about anything. When she was just being herself.

Not trying to be brave or hid behind some sort of facade. Not worrying about her manners or what others think. When she would do things for herself, not considering the consequences.

She seemed so much happier this way, more at peace.

Why couldn't she do all of that in real life? Why did it just have to be in her dreams?

Elizabeth tossed in her sleep and turned on her side, facing Jack.

"Jack…" Elizabeth murmured in her sleep.

"Yes Lizzie." Jack leaned down and kissed her forehead, then took her hand in his.

Realizing that there was something in her hand, Jack carefully pealed her fingers off the necklace, trying not to wake her.

Examining the medallion in his hand, Jack was somewhat surprised at what it looked like.

The necklace looked out of this world, as if there was no possible way it could be made by human hands. The black pearl encrusted in it immediately caught his attention. Black pearls were one of the rarest, hardest to find objects in the ocean. That is why he chose that name for his ship. How on earth did she get one? And where did she get that necklace?

Jack shifted his eyes back to Elizabeth. How beautiful she looked, even with her hair in disarray and her face slightly smudged with dirt. She was like an angel to him, a beautiful, stubborn, pirate angel.

Jack replaced the necklace in her hand, letting his hand linger on hers.

"Pleasant dreams Lizzie darling" Jack whispered inches above her mouth, kissing her on the lips lightly.

* * *

A heavy pounding in his head awoke Will with a start.

"_How look have I been out," he wondered._

Will rubbed his temples, trying to get rid of the extreme headache he had woken up to.

He groaned as he got up out of his bunk, and stretched, feeling his muscles throb slightly from fighting Jack.

Will looked at himself in the mirror. He looked awful. He now wore a bandage around his head, his hair rumbling out around it. His face had a few cuts that stung a bit, but that was nothing to the massive, kraken sized headache he was now experiencing.

He also was emotionally a mess. Elizabeth had cheated. And with Jack non-the less. She had thrown him aside, not caring at all about his feelings. He was deeply wounded by what she had done.

How could she do such a thing? Was she really that type of girl? Does she really love Jack? Does he love her?

No. It was impossible. Jack had never loved anyone in his life. All he cared about was the Black Pearl, rum, and the sea. He couldn't possibly love Elizabeth. He was used to the type of women you'd find in Tortuga, not a governor's daughter.

But then again, Elizabeth wasn't the innocent young girl she used to be; the girl that was always proper and who's goal in life was to make a nice marriage. The girl that wore fancy dresses, rode in carriages, and went to tea parties. The girl he first fell in love with.

Elizabeth was a completely different person now. Ever since her first adventure with pirates, Elizabeth has never been the same. Even right before their planned wedding, she always asked to go by the seashore and watch the horizon, wadding her feet in the ocean.

Even right before there wedding, she longed for freedom.

Will moved towards the door and decided to go out on deck to see where all the crew was. He needed to get his mind off Elizabeth. He needed to do something.

For the first time in his life, Will contemplated going down to the cellar to get a bottle of rum. Will was not one for drinking, but right now he was desperate.

_Maybe this is why Jack is always drunk…_

* * *

Jack had decided to take refuge in the crow's nest, lying back on his elbows, staring at the stars in the endless sky.

He loved stargazing on the open ocean. It made him feel special to see all of the beautiful treasures in of mother earth, like sunsets on the ocean and rainbows, while people in places like London rarely ever got to see such things.

Jack spotted all the constellations, including the big dipper, Hercules and Sirius. And off to the far right, he spotted a very small, bright star, close to two slightly larger ones. One of the bigger stars was closer to the small one, one slightly farther away.

The next moment the star that was farther away began to fall and shoot across the sky. And then to Jack's great astonishment the small star followed it perfectly, as if trailing behind it.

"What's the significance of that I wonder?" Jack asked himself out loud

Then a rustle on deck made Jack freeze. Very sneakily, Jack leaned over the edge of the crow's nest, trying to make out who was on deck.

_Great. First the eunuch disturbs Lizzie and me, now he disturbs me thoughts too._

Will had come out to check and see if anyone was up on deck. But like he thought, nobody was. Well that's except for Barbossa of course. He was still steering the Pearl, trying to claim it for his own.

Will was glad. Not that he wanted to talk to Barbossa or anything. He was just relieved that Jack wasn't at the helm at this moment. He didn't think anyone would forgive him if he punched the daylights out of Jack when he was supposed to be steering, causing the ship to crash.

Will looked to both sides one last time before he headed back below, having not noticed that he was being spied on.

"That's interesting" Jack muttered before he went back to looking at the stars in the sky and their reflection in the mirror like water.

* * *

_Maybe just one bottle_ Will thought to himself as he walked back below deck. _Maybe Just one._

Then Will heard some of the crew's voices just a little ways away. They were planning something he could tell.

_A mutiny maybe?_

Will crossed his fingers. That's what Jack truly deserved. To have the thing he loves most in this world be taken away from him.

Will listened intently, hidden behind a pillar, hoping that if they were going against Jack he could get in on it.

But they weren't. It sounded like they were actually planning something for him.

"I say we make it all surprise. What with the captain losing he freedom and all." It was Marty who had spoken.

Will liked the sound of that. Jack loved his freedom. He was always bragging on about it constantly_. Maybe this plans not so bad after all_.

"But what about the poppet?" Pintel asked.

_Elizabeth. What did she have to do with this?_

"Shouldn't she have some fun too? Shouldn't she have some share in the party since she is losing hers also?" Pintel continued on.

_Why would Elizabeth be losing her freedom? What was happening that he was so out of the loop for?_

"She'll be losing more than just her freedom I reckon." The crew chuckled at Ragetti's comment.

_What's so funny? Why am I the last one to know everything_?

"Who'd ever thought it? It was Gibbs this time that spoke. "Captain Jack Sparrow losing his freedom in this way? I'm sorry lads, I just don't believe it."

"It's true though! We saw it with our own eyes. The captain's ring and all!"

Will shifted slightly. _What on earth could this be about? First Jack losing his freedom, and something about a party for him. Then Elizabeth losing not just her freedom, but also something more too. Now something about Jack's ring? What on earth could they…_

Will didn't have time to ever first his thought when the answer was said out load.

"A toast Gents! To Captain Jack Sparrow and his bride to be!" Pintel yelled.

"Here, Here!!" Will stepped out from behind the pillar just in time to see crew rejoiced loudly, raising their bottles in the air.

Will was speechless. But that didn't mean he couldn't go kill Jack right now.

Will darted up the steps, knocking over some barrels in the process, which caught the crew attention.

"Oh no." Gibbs rubbed his forehead, dreading what would come next.

"Was that.." Marty's eyes still looked after the intruder even after he had left.

"Aye, come on lads, we've got a Captain to save!" Gibbs ordered the crew up on deck to go search for Jack and Elizabeth, while he and some others went after Will.

* * *

Once Will reached the Captain's Quarters, he flung open the door, not even caring to knock.

Will glanced around the room looking for Jack, noticing that he was not there.

"Come on out you coward!" he bellowed, "I know you're in here!"

Will threw the papers and charts off of Jack's desk, and knocked over the furniture, trying to make the room as much a mess as possible.

Going to the side door of the cabin, Will looked in the bedroom to see if he was asleep, but he was not.

_Maybe he's with her right now_ his mind raged.

Stomping down the hall, Will came to a halt just outside Elizabeth's door.

_What if __She__ was Asleep?_

_What if they were together_?

Will didn't think he could bear to see them kissing again after he saw them before the pearl sank. It was like a knife getting plunged into his heart, and then when he knew, every time they were together in the same room, it was like the knife being twisted inside him, each time causing a new wave of pain

And now that he had caught them again. It hurt now on a whole new level.

_Why didn't I ever grab that rum?_

Bracing himself for the worst, Will open the door to Elizabeth's cabin a crack to pear inside. But before he could see anything, something hard and made of glass hit him on top of his head.

"_Rum always does come in handy." Gibbs thought satisfactorily_

_

* * *

_"What the hell happened here!" Jack yelped when he came across them all outside Elizabeth's cabin.

"Why don't you go in your cabin and see for yourself." Gibbs replied.

After seeing his cabin doors open, Jack strolled inside hesitantly, still wondering why Will had been heading for Elizabeth's cabin at this time of night.

His place was a mess. All of his maps and papers that had littered his desk had been thrown to the floor and trampled over. His chair was broken as well as his globe that stood in the corner of his office. All of his drawers had been emptied and the paintings of the ocean that used to hang by his window were now smashed.

The whelp certainly has a temper doesn't he? Jack had no choice but to punish him now. This was the second time he had done something like this, and Jack couldn't afford to had his father come after them now.

_I'll wait until we get back though._

* * *

Elizabeth had been having the strangest dream. They were on the Pearl and out at sea, completely surrounded by nothing but water. She and Will were together and Jack was watching from a distance. And then suddenly Jack jumps into the water with no were to go; there were no islands around or anything. He would surely drown. Then she jumped in right after him; not caring that she was leaving Will or that she could drown.

She just jumped.

This awoke Elizabeth with a start. Someone was in her cabin. She could sense it. "Jack?" Elizabeth turned her head left and right not able to see anyone. "Will?" she tried. Not hearing anyone, Elizabeth just assumed it was her imagination playing tricks on her again, and fell fast asleep.

Little did she know that she was right. There was someone in her cabin. And little did she know that her whole life was about to change. With one swift move the stranger to the shell medallion out of her hand, and forced it onto her neck.

Once the necklace went over her head, Elizabeth eyes fell open to see what had happened.

But it wasn't her cabin she saw. It was her old bedroom, at the mansion in Port Royal.

* * *

A/N- please don't hate me because of that ending. I promise Jack and Elizabeth will be together again, just maybe in a different way then you imagined.

**Please review. Remember, the more reviews I get, the more likely that I will update sooner.**


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- Just a quick note thanking Pirate-on-fleet-street, Freedom's Call and kiki148 for reviewing Chapter 6. Please review if you read this. I need all the advice I can get.

Disclaimer- I don't own PotC… I wish I owned Jack, but alas, Johnny Depp is already married… :)

* * *

It was mid morning, and Jack was out on deck, messing with the charts, trying to figure out a way back to the land of the living.

Almost everyone was on deck, boiling in the extreme heat and dieing of thirst. Everything but the rum was gone. Jack picked up his bottle and tried to drink, then turned the bottle upside down, not seeing any rum come out.

_No wait… the rums gone too._

Jack had decided that it was better not to wake Elizabeth. She would come out when she wanted to. She did seem to sleep late though. It just bugged him how he could not concentrate without her there.

Will was just a bit away from Jack. He had woken up from being unconscious. Again. Unconscious twice in one day. That must be a new record.

He glanced over at Jack. Jack had been messing with the charts for sometime now with no anvil. It seemed like they were stuck there.

Will hadn't seen Elizabeth all morning and he really needed to talk with her. _Was it possible she could still be asleep?_

No. Will highly doubted that. Elizabeth had always been an early riser. There was no way she could still be sleeping at 10:00.

Will hated to have to be so near the man who had ruined his happiness. He had taken Elizabeth, the only thing he cared about now that he couldn't save his father, and turned her against him.

It was taking all of Will's self control not to shoot Jack right now on deck, in front of his crew.

Jack continued to turn the charts dials in every possible direction, trying to find a clue as to how to leave. If only he could concentrate.

How was he supposed to find a way home with these charts if he couldn't concentrate!

"_I don't know Jacky."_ Said a miniature him on his left shoulder.

"What!" Jack exclaimed, startled and looked at the small pirate swinging from his dreadlock.

"_Why don't you go find the girl if your so buggered up?"_ Another Jack appeared on his left shoulder this time.

"I can't. "Jack reasoned. "She's asleep. I don't want to wake her. The lass went through a lot last night."

"_Ah, yes."_ The first Jack said. "_Not sure if she'll stay long mate. May think you cause too much drama."_

"_No, don't listen to him. He's got it all wrong, mate, I swear!"_ The second piped in.

"_No one can resist Captain Jack Sparrow._"

Jack smirked at this. " You got a point little me." Jack said satisfied. All the ladies love Captain Jack.

"_She has."_ The pirate that was swinging on the dreadlock almost fell off when Jack turned his head violently to look at him.

Jack wrinkled his brow, listening intently to his other little self.

"_Many times before. Who's to say she won't change her mind and go back to the whelp_ _any minute now? She did kill you for him."_ The little Jack stepped back onto his shoulder, letting go of his hair.

"_And she came back to save you once she knew she had made a mistake!"_ The other mini pirate insisted.

Jack glanced back down at the chart. He really needed to find out what they were supposed to do. He couldn't just let everyone die of thirst while he battle with his inner selves.

"_She did almost marry him, Jacky." _The small Jacks continued to ramble on while the real Jack got more and more frustrated and confused.

"_Yes! But she didn't! Fate stopped it from happening mate! You still have a chance!"_

"_Don't listen to the ninny over there. He's just trying to get your hopes up."_ One of the Jacks insulted the other.

"Oh will you two just shut it!!" Jack yelled, causing the some of crew to turn their heads and give their captain very strange looks. Jack smiled innocently at them.

He then looked right and left and after not seeing his selves anymore, he went back to looking at the map.

Spinning the inner dial, Jack found something new.

"Up is down. That's just maddeningly unhelpful!" Jack turned the ship in the middle until it was upside down.

"It's not sun rise. It's sun down. And rise...Up!" Jack said, realizing he had just figured it out. Jack quickly came up with a plan as how to turn the ship wrong way up.

"Look what's that?" Jack said as he dashed to one side of the ship pointing with his arm out to the endless ocean.

"What's what?" Will exclaimed confused, coming over to the side along with Gibbs.

"What is that?" Jack continued to ramble on going from one side to the next, have all the crew follow him.

Realizing what Jack was doing, Barbossa when below and let loose the cargo, so it would sway the ship even more.

After coming back on deck, he swiftly grabbed the railing along with the others as the ship flipped.

"Now up is down." Jack explained to everyone, though they were still exceedingly confused.

Upon resurfacing, they spotted an island just a little ways away, where they could re supply with fresh water.

"You go ashore, Hector, I'll stay with my ship." Jack looked around a bit. Where was Elizabeth? Was she still really asleep even after they had gone under water? How does that work?

"I'm not leaving my ship with you!" Barbossa yelled.

"Bloody Hell, Hector! For the billionth time, you are the chart man!

"Why don't you both go ashore, and I'll watch the pearl. Temporarily of course!" Will added after getting shady looks.

Jack didn't trust Will, but with no other choice, he agreed.

"Keep an eye on him." Jack whispered to Gibbs before he entered the longboat.

* * *

_It all must have been a dream then_. Elizabeth reasoned with herself. _Me a pirate? Will. Jack Sparrow. The Black Pearl. Everything. I've never even met a pirate before let alone Captain Jack Sparrow! And Davy Jones doesn't exist and neither does his locker. It's impossible. There's no way I have go to the edge of the world and back. And if I __were__ a pirate, why would I be back in Port Royal?_

Elizabeth sat up from her bed and stretched her limbs. They ached for some reason. That's unusual. _It's not like I did anything strenuous. _

_Or did I?_

No that's a silly question. Of course not!

Elizabeth moved to look at herself in the mirror. She looked like the ideal proper young lady.

_Of course I couldn't have been a pirate. Or love a pirate either. It's bad enough to love a blacksmith! How improper that dream was!_

Elizabeth searched through her drawers, looking for something. And there it was. The pirate Medallion she stole from Will eight years earlier.

_If that had really happened this wouldn't be here. _Elizabeth thought.

She then remembered her dream and how Pirates had come after her because she had it.

_Maybe just to be safe_. She thought as she replaced the medallion back in her drawer.

She then glanced at herself in the mirror again and noticed something strange. She was wearing a shell necklace that looked like the sea and inside it was a black pearl. The pendent had some sort of mystic charm and something inside her made her feel like it couldn't possibly be something made by human hands.

_Where did I get this?_ Elizabeth questioned herself.

She didn't remember buying it or anything like that.

She tried to remember it but she couldn't. It was just there. The necklace was a mystery.

"Elizabeth" She heard her father call from outside her door. "Are you descent?"

"Yes!" She called as she hastily threw on a robe and shoved the necklace down her shirt, hiding it. She had no clue where she had gotten it from, but she knew it wasn't anything her father would approve of.

"Ah." Governor Swann exclaimed as he entered her room, followed by two maids.

"Still in bed at this hour?"

"Yes." Elizabeth responded before the maids opened the window and it's light blinded her.

"It's a beautiful day!" Elizabeth smiled at her father when he said that. Something about this conversation seemed strangely familiar, but she didn't know why.

"I have a gift for you." Her father opened a box and handed it to her.

"It's beautiful!" She said, looking over the dress with her eyes. She had seen it somewhere before. " May I inquire as to the occasion?"

"Does a father need a occasion to dote upon his daughter?" Elizabeth giggled, and her maids followed her behind the screen to help her with her dress.

"No, I was rather hoping you would wear it to the ceremony today."

"Ceremony?" Everything seemed so familiar to Elizabeth. The conversation, the dress, the ceremony… In Elizabeth's dream there had been a ceremony.. for Norrington.

"Admiral Norrington's promotion ceremony." The governor clarified.

"I knew it." Elizabeth said, thinking out loud. This had happened in her dream. What was going on?

"Commodore Norrington he is about to become. He's taken quite a fancy to you, you know?" Elizabeth gasped, and it wasn't because of the corset that her servants were putting on her.

"Elizabeth? Are you all right? How is it coming?" Her father questioned.

"It's difficult to say." Elizabeth was not speaking about the dress.

"It's the latest fashion with the women in London." The governor went on.

"Well women in London must have learned not to breathe." She added with a grimace. _Did they really have to pull it so tight? I could faint._

Elizabeth sensed something odd about that statement. Something in her mind didn't seem right. She kept on remembering things from that stupid dream she had had earlier.

_Bloody brain_. She thought

_Elizabeth Swann_! She scolded herself. _Where ever did you learn to talk like that!!!_

"Governor Swann you have a visitor." The butler said as he came in.

"Very well," her father said before her retired from the room.

Elizabeth's maid continued to help her dress, pulling at her hair and putting it in a tight bun.

This made Elizabeth's head ache. _I don't see why? I've had this done every day for how long?_

Never the less, Elizabeth's head got sore from being messed with and her body ached in side her dress.

It was not just the corset that bugged her, it was everything; the shoes made he feet hurt, her hat was plastered to her head with pins and her dress was uncomfortably airy.

"Why am I having so many issues today?" Elizabeth muttered to herself as she made her way down the stairs.

"Elizabeth you look Beautiful!" Her father sighed as she walked down the stairs.

"Will!" She exclaimed rushing down the stairs as fast as she could in her dress.

"Miss Swann." He acknowledged.

"I had a dream about you last night." She blurted out, wishing he would act more like the Will in her dream. _Bugger_ she thought. _Bugger! What kind of word is that!_

Elizabeth quickly tried to come up with something she could have dreamt about.

"We were at a tea party and you refused to call me Elizabeth. How many times do I have to tell you to?" Elizabeth was annoyed by Will standoffish behavior.

"At least once more Miss Swann. As always." Will bowed, remembering his place.

"Good day Mr. Turner." Elizabeth said before she left, sick of the way Will was behaving.

"Good Day, Elizabeth" Will whispered as she disappeared in her carriage, really distressed about the sense of deja vu she kept having.

* * *

Elizabeth was dieing in her corset. _I don't think this blazing heat helps much though! _She yelled in her head.

"Miss Swann." Someone spoke from behind her softly. It was Norrington.

"May I have a moment?" He asked politely.

Elizabeth forced a smile. She already knew what was coming. Even without that strange dream she had had, she had suspected he would propose for some time now.

"You look lovely Elizabeth." James tried to flatter her.

They had moved up to the edge of the fort, and Elizabeth was fading even more now.

She was breathing heavy, trying to catch enough breathe in her corset.

"I apologize if I seem forward, but I must speck my mind." Norrington continued on. Elizabeth couldn't bear it_. She couldn't breathe, and yet she was force to stand here and listen to a proposal of marriage by this tight laced git!_

_Elizabeth!_ She scolded again_. Watch your language!_

"This promotion froze in that sharp relief that I have not achieved. I marriage to a fine woman."

Elizabeth tried to steady her breath, not wanting to give Norrington the wrong ideas.

"You have become a fine woman Elizabeth." James said, turning to look at her

Elizabeth's breath was gone. All the air that she had had left in one swift moment.

"I can't breathe…" Elizabeth said almost inaudibly.

"Yes, I'm quite nervous my self." Norrington continued, looking out at the sea.

Suddenly, Elizabeth felted the stone under her feet disappear, and she began to fall, slipping out of consciousness.

"Will you be saving her then?" Jack asked the soldier next to him.

"Can't swim." The soldier admitted

"Pride of the royal navy you are," he said as he stripped himself of his jacket, and effects and handed to the soldiers saying, "Don't loose these."

He then proceeded to jump off the Interceptor and into the water after the fallen girl.

Jack pushed his body down into the water towards the shape of a girl resting on the ocean's floor. Pulling her with him, Jack tried to make it to the surface, but her dress was weighing them down. He then ripped off the dress and swam towards the harbor.

Reaching the dock, the two soldiers helped Jack hoist the girl out of the water.

"Not breathing," One said freaking out.

"Move!" Jack ordered and crouched down over her, cutting the laces on her corset, and throwing it at one of the officers, enabling her to breathe.

"Never would have thought of that," The other soldier exclaimed, stunned.

Elizabeth coughed and choked out some water. Had she really just almost drowned?

"Clearly you've never been to Singapore." She heard a voice just above her say.

Elizabeth locked eyes with the stranger and her eyes immediately widened.

It was him. Captain Jack Sparrow. He had rescued her just like in her dream. He had saved her life. He actually did exist.

Elizabeth brought her left hand up to clutch her heaving chest. Jack's eyes darted to what was on her finger. His ring. He looked down at his own hand and sure enough, his emerald ring was missing.

"How did you get that?" Jack was very confused. Had she not been unconscious the whole time? _How could she have nicked my ring?_

"I don't know Jack." Elizabeth responded gazing into his eyes. He really was a very handsome man.

Jack had never seen this girl in his life, but already it seemed like he knew her. Somewhere in his gut, she seemed familiar.

"How do you know me?" Jack pouted a little bit, confused

Elizabeth didn't know what to say. How do I know you? A silly little dream I had? Or maybe it wasn't a dream. Maybe it was some kind of vision of what my life is suppose to be like. Maybe it's insight into the future. But what do I tell him?

"Run!" Elizabeth whispered to Jack urgently.

But he didn't have time to, because the two were interrupted when a sword was brought to Jacks neck and he was order to stand up.

"Elizabeth! Are you alright?" Her father said as he rushed over to her and put his coat around her. He then spotted the soldier holding the corset and glared at him. The soldier quickly dropped it and pointed to Jack. "Shoot him!" He ordered

"Commodore!" Elizabeth interrupted, trying to save Jack. " Do you really intend to kill my rescuer?" Elizabeth looked over at Jack, again locking eyes. His eyes had a way of staring into her soul.

"I think thanks are in order." Norrington held out his hand to shake.

"No, Jack. Don't." Elizabeth tried to warn him, remembering what happened next in the dream.

"Elizabeth…" Her father scowled at her

But it was too late. Norrington grabbed Jack's hand and saw a P burned in to the skin on his forearm. "Pirate."

"Hang him!" The governor interjected, causing Jack to go a little pale.

"Well, well, well. Jack Sparrow isn't it." The commodore stated releasing his hand.

"Captain Jack Sparrow Actually." Jack insisted his title.

"Oh I'm sorry Captain. I don't see you ship!" Norrington added cockily

"I'm in the Market." Jack looked around for an escape route but found none.

"Fetch some irons." An officer came up and cuffed Jack, pulling him down the dock a ways.

"Commodore I really must protest. Pirate or not this man saved my life!" Elizabeth moved to stand in front of Jack, realizing that she could help him escape the way she had in her dream.

"One good deed is not enough to save a man from a life time of wickedness."

"But it seems enough to condemn him." Jack chimed in as the officer who cuffed him moved away.

"Finally." He exclaimed, pulling Elizabeth toward him, with the chains around her neck.

"I knew you'd warm up to me. I'm effects and my hat." Jack glared at Norrington not seeing him move. "Commodore!" Jack threatened

He then turned his attention to the lady in his hands and turned her around to face him. "Elizabeth. It is Elizabeth isn't it?" He asked, trying to sound dangerous, but not to her.

"Yes." She murmured. He was holding her tightly, but was by no means trying to hurt her. She loved the way his body felt pressed against her's. For some reason it made her feel safe, even though she shouldn't. _Elizabeth Control yourself_

"Lizzie, if you 'd be so kind." She grabbed Jack's stuff from James and turned back to face Jack. " Come, come deary. We don't have all day." Jack added to annoy the Commodore. " Now if you will be very kind."

Elizabeth then began to put on his effects, starting with his hat, and then the belt across his chest. While wrapping the belt around him, she whispered in his ear.

"Take me with you.." She pleaded, wanting to get away from this place and have an adventure just like she had had in her dream.

Jack looked at her surprised. He wanted to, he really did, but there was no way he could make it out of the bay with the governor's daughter.

Elizabeth then finished attaching the belts at his waist. " Easy on the goods love." Jack said this again, just for Norrington's sake.

"Please…"Elizabeth mouthed so only Jack could hear.

"What did she say?" The governor asked concerned, causing Jack to remember once again that if he wanted to escape and not be followed, she could not come with him.

"Time and Tide love. I'm so sorry" He said before he turned her to face the others.

"Gentlemen, Me lady. You will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow." Jack said before he pushed Elizabeth towards them and made off, swinging on a rope.

"Damn you Jack Sparrow!" Elizabeth yelled after him, causing a smirk to appear on his face.

"Elizabeth!! This is where I drawl the line! Defending Pirates, and now you are swearing!" Her father said exasperated

"Come on men!!" The commodore yelled as he and his men ran off after the pirate.

"Come. Let us go home. I think you need a rest after your fall." The sight of Elizabeth and that pirate disturbed the governor. He wanted to get her home and away from him as soon as possible.

"Of course father. I shall fall asleep right after my head hits the pillow."

Elizabeth was drawing up a plan to escape and help Jack once her father thought she was asleep. Elizabeth did remember something Jack told her once about a fight and a certain blacksmith….

**Please Review!!! **


	8. Chapter 8

A/N- **Thanks to zutarababe, Pirate-on-fleet-street, and Kiki148 for the reviews. They** **really help.** This chapter isn't my best, but it had to be made. Lots of parts from Worlds End. Notice that the more Elizabeth messes with the story the more the original lines get changed. Not a lot of sparrabeth in this chapter, but I promise more in the next.

**Hope you enjoy this Chapter and please Review**

**

* * *

**Will had been walking around the deck for sometime now, thinking. Beckett and his men, along with Sao Feng, should be here any moment. He had made an agreement to save Elizabeth and himself, along with getting to keep the pearl. All he had to do was hand over Jack and the Pirates. No problem there. He wished Jack were dead, so he felt no guilt in the situation.

Well, maybe a little.

Won't Elizabeth hate me once I betray them all? Does she love Jack? With getting rid of Jack, would I really just be causing the woman I love pain? And I didn't tell her about the plan! She's going to kill me! What does it matter though? She didn't let me know about hers!

All this thinking about Elizabeth and Jack made Will remember the first time he met Jack Sparrow. He had come into the Blacksmith's shop trying to escape, but Will stopped him. Will remembered their duel almost perfectly, every swing and blow. He also remembered how Jack had cheated and the only excuse he gave was that he was a pirate. And Elizabeth then she… Wait…Elizabeth wasn't there…was she?

Will stopped pacing, and stared out at sea, seeing white sails on the horizon. _Beckett_

Maybe I should go find Elizabeth and let her know that we are back. I haven't seen her all day. Not even after we resurfaced. Something is out of place.

Will arrived at Elizabeth's cabin, and found absolutely empty. The door was open, and that first made Will suspect something was wrong. Then when he entered, the room was a mess, probably from going upside down. And Elizabeth was nowhere to be found.

Will ran all over the ship, searching every nook and cranny for her. She wasn't in the rum cellar, not that he thought she would anyway. Elizabeth never really liked the drink. And she wasn't in the Crow's Nest, the crew's cabin, the brig, or the galley.

Elizabeth was missing… But where...Was she still stuck in the locker? Or was she hiding on the ship?

Or was she somewhere that only one person on this ship would know?

* * *

Jack and Barbossa had been trudging though the forest for a long time and still hadn't found the fresh water spring they were looking for.

Barbossa was leading the party, not paying much attention to where they were going.

What Jack had said to him early was making think him think. _The worlds the same, there's just less in it_. He then looked up and saw the water they were looking for just ahead.

Jack didn't notice that they had found the spring. He just kept walking.

After seeing the Kraken dead, Jack had been put on edge. It was making him reconsider his original plan somewhat. It was like a fire started underneath him. _Now if only there was a way to make Beckett believe I'm on his side, without really being on it._

He was also thinking a lot about Elizabeth. Where was she hiding? He hadn't seen her all day.

Could she have drowned? _Nah. She's been at sea for so long, she knows how to swim._

But what if she fainted like last time? And he wasn't there to save her! _Get a hold of yourself Jack. You don't know that's true._

Jack thought back to saving Elizabeth the first time. _How many times is that now?_

He had pulled her out of the water, and taken her corset off, saving her life in the process. How beautiful she looked. _And how stupid I was for not getting a better look._

Something new popped into his head. She didn't call him despicable or anything like before. _"Take me with you."_ He heard her whisper.

_That's odd_. He thought as he continued towards the stream.

He then saw a flash of new memories, confusing him which ones where real and which ones weren't. _"Jack" _He saw her reach for her chest, his ring on her finger.

_That couldn't of happened. I just gave her the ring yesterday!_

Jack tried to shake away his thoughts when he saw that they were near the fresh water.

All of the new crewmembers from Singapore had accompanied them. This made Jack a little anxious.

"Just how well do you know Sao Feng?" Jack leaned into to one of the sailors while they were walking.

The man only smirked in response. He knew all about Jack Sparrow and what he had done to Sao Feng. _Just wait, Sparrow, you'll find out soon enough_.

Barbossa looked down into the water and was alarmed by what he saw.

A dead, pale white body was floating in the water.

He reached down and stuck his finger in the stream, then licked it and spat it out.

"Poison. Fouled by the body."

Jack grimaced down at the dead man. The sword stuck in him looked familiar. _Now lets see…_

"Hey, I know him." Pintel acknowledged. "He was in Singapore."

The mention of Singapore made Jack's brain click.

"Oy! We got company!" Ragetti yelled from the beach, pointing at a new ship stationed next to the Pearl.

"Old Fengy at it again, eh."

All of the men except for one pointed their guns at Jack. The other had his pointed at Barbossa's chest.

"He's the captain." Jack said as he pointed towards Barbossa, causing him to roll his eyes_. Didn't they just have an argument about that!_

_

* * *

_The carriage pulled in right in front of the Swann Mansion. Elizabeth immediately jumped out and rushed up stairs.

"Elizabeth?" Her father called after her wondering what was the rush.

"I'm just so tired father. I'm afraid I might faint again!" Elizabeth added the last part dramatically, putting her face in her hand as about to fall over.

"Very well. Sweet dreams." Elizabeth ran to her room once her father was out of sight and locked the door. She then pulled a plain blue dress out from one of her drawers and threw it over her head.

Once she was dressed, she began to tie all of her bed sheets together. "This ought to work." She muttered to herself as she strung them together. She then heard a knock on her door. Elizabeth's heart stopped in fright.

"Excuse me Miss. Your father sent me up to see if you need any help."

"No, thank you Sarah." Elizabeth tried to keep her voice as normal as possible. She was so excited to get out of this place and have freedom. This is the most rebellious thing she has ever done, but she couldn't resist. She couldn't let Jack die when he had saved her life. _Maybe if I save him he will have to take me with him_.

After finishing the handmade rope, she swung it off of her balcony and tied it.

She then picked up her skirts and began to climb down.

_How unladylike of you Elizabeth_, she thought with a giggle**. **

_And how good it feels to be free!_ When she reached the bottom, Elizabeth quickly ran out the back gate, afraid that her father could notice her absence any second.

Elizabeth ran down the road towards the Blacksmiths shop where Will worked. Many towns' folk stared after her. What on earth was the Governor's daughter doing running through the streets! _He must be in here._

Elizabeth tried to open the front door, but it wouldn't budge. Something was in the way.

She heard the sounds of clashing metal and wooden boards bending. _They must be in the middle of the fight._

Seeing that there was no way she was going to get through the front entrance, Elizabeth snuck in the back way, creeping up on them from behind.

When Elizabeth first entered she couldn't see anyone. _Where the hell are they?_ She thought, not bothering to correct herself this time.

Then all of the sudden, two figures leaped down from the rafters. Elizabeth hide behind the mast that held all of the swords.

She then saw Jack fling dirt in Will's face, kick his sword away, and pull out his pistol.

"You Cheated." Will said upset.

"Pirate!" Jack stated as though it was his excuse as he cocked his pistol.

"Jack no! Elizabeth screamed, running up to them out of her hiding place.

"How the blazes did you get here, love?" Jack said startled by her appearance.

"Does it matter? All that matters is that you don't kill Will!" Elizabeth moved to stand in front of him, standing in between them, in the range of the pistol.

Will grinned. _Maybe she does like me after all._

"I think it does bloody matter! Especially if the Governor's going to think that I could have anything to do with it! He said, lowering his weapon.

"Elizabeth. Leave. I do not want you in danger." Will turned Elizabeth around to face him, trying to convince her to leave.

"Don't worry, Will. Jack won't hurt me." Elizabeth faced Jack again confidently.

"Oh won't I?" Jack tilted his head to the side, and sauntered towards her.

Catching her off guard, He pulled her towards him and pulled his weapon back out, pointing at her temple.

"Don't shoot!!" Will begged, dreading the worst.

"He won't." Elizabeth said cockily, standing her ground.

"Move away, whelp, or the lass dies." Jack's eyes glared at Will who was blocking his path.

"Come on, deary. Help old Jack just this once." He whispered in her ear seductively.

"Stop threatening her!" Will shouted from across the room.

"On one condition Jack. I want an adventure. I want to leave this place. I want freedom." Elizabeth whispered back, matching Jack's tone, tempting him.

Jack thought about it for a while. He couldn't take her away, unless he wanted the whole Royal fleet coming after him. He already decided that. But he wouldn't even have to worry about that if he didn't leave there soon. He would be back in handcuffs before he knew it. Maybe if she just thought he would…

"Darling, you've got yourself a deal." His husky voice rang in her ear.

"Will do what he's says!" Elizabeth uttered in fright, trying to scare him into letting them go. He was taking her with him wasn't he?

"Come on lad! Lets not wait for grass to grow." Jack growled through his teeth, menacingly.

Will stepped aside reluctantly and watched as Jack moved towards the back door, still holding Elizabeth.

"Son, you will always remember this as the day that you…"

"Come on Jack. Hurry!" Elizabeth said interrupting his speech and touch his hand. Will noticed that Elizabeth had not run away. She was going with Jack. Was she actually helping the pirate?

The pair climbed out of the door and sprinted towards the pier, holding hands. Before they reached the ships, Jack pointed and shouted, " Look over there!" and ran away from Elizabeth when she wasn't looking.

Not seeing anything, she glanced back to ask him what it was, but Jack was gone.

"Jack?" She shouted, looking around. But he was gone.

She moved towards the dock, but stopped when she saw who was there, and hid behind a wall.

"Gents, we will always remember this as the day Jack Sparrow almost escaped." She heard Norrington say, before she hurried back home, not wanting to explain where she had been to her father.

* * *

When they arrived on the ship, Jack was afraid of who just might be there. But of course, he was the one who stole his beloved Pearl.

"Sao Feng! I see you came to greet us!" Barbossa said, while Jack tried to hide behind him. _That's not very heroic now is it!_ _Neither was it when I ran away from Lizzie after she saved me, _Jack thought pondering. _Wait? When did I do that?_

"Jack Sparrow." Sao Feng moved to look at Jack after he came out from behind Barbossa's back.

_That's just to degrading, to hide behind a slimy git like Barbossa , _Jack convinced himself.

" You paid me a great insult once."

"That doesn't sound like me. Maybe your thinking of me twin, Zack Sparrow." Jack said casually, with a flourish of his hand.

Sao Feng punched Jack in the nose, causing him to re adjust his nose.

"I bet you didn't deserve that one either, Jack" Will said approaching them all.

"How bout we just call it square mate." Jack replied to Sao Feng, ignoring Will's comment.

"Remember the bargain, Sao Feng. I need the pearl to save my father." Will demanded.

"You heard Captain Turner men. Move back to the ship!" Sao Feng shouted to his men.

"Captain Turner!" Jack exclaimed in disbelief. "He needs the Pearl!! Captain Turner needs the Pearl!!" Jack mocked.

"He led a mutiny against us Jack. I told you we should have punished him earlier." Gibbs pushed out of the crowd, trying to talk to Jack.

"Your right Mr. Gibbs." Jack said moving towards his crew, searching. "Where's Elizabeth?"

Sao Feng then grabbed Jack by the collar of his shirt. "I'm sorry Jack, but this all will have to wait. There is an old friend who would like to see you first.

"An old friend? Really? I'm getting rather tried of these visits from old friends!" Sao Feng pushed him towards the railing and had him look out.

"I'm sorry Jack. I doubt you can get yourself out of this particular visit." Sao Feng hissed through his teeth.

Jack looked out and saw on the right side was a ship with white sails and it sailed a British Navy flag.

" Oh bugger."

* * *

" Your friends seem rather desperate, Jack" Beckett observed, looking out from his cabin window.

Jack opened up drawers and boxes, looking for something.

"It's not here Jack." Beckett disclosed, his back now facing the window.

"What? What isn't?" Jack knew what he meant, but he busy coming up with a plan. He needed to get back to the Pearl. He needed to find his Lizzie.

"The Heart. It's on the Flying Dutchmen, so it is unavailable for you to use as a matter of leverage to settle your dept." Beckett moved towards Jack, while the pirate continued to waltz around the room.

"That account has been settled mate." Jack said before picking up a cane and imitating Beckett's portrait.

"And if Davy Jones was to learn of your survival?"

"What do you want Beckett?" Jack squinted his eyes suspiciously.

"Information." He said offering Jack a drink.

"About the Brethren Court. While you square my dept with Jones and guarantee my freedom." Jack swallowed his drink in one gulp. He then looked down at the cup. _Why is the rum always gone? _This made him think of Elizabeth.

"Of course Jack. Its just good business." Beckett explained

"What do you want to know?" Jack asked picking up a miniature model of Beckett.

"Everything." He emphasized.

Jack shoved the miniature in front of Beckett. "I swear mate, you look just like him."

"Do we have an agreement? You leave these pirates with me, you go off and lead us to the cove, and you get your pearl, and your freedom."

"You can keep Barbossa. The one with the wooden eye and his friend, both. What are there names again? And you can keep Turner. Especially Turner." Jack thought that ought to be punishment enough. And then he's out of the way for him and Elizabeth. _It's a two for one really…_

As if reading his thoughts, Beckett asked, "And what about Miss Swann?"

"What interest is she to you?" Jack countered, heatedly. _How dare you speck that way about Lizzie to me!_

"Jack you know you owe me." Jack gave Beckett a confused look. "If I had not come in to Port Royal and disrupted her wedding, Miss Swann would be married right now."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jack hid his true feelings behind the mask he almost always wore. The only person who knew him without it was Elizabeth.

"Oh, I think you do." Beckett added

A load explosion from cannon fire burst through the window and knocked over Beckett.

"Done." Jack said and shook the lord's hand before running out and swinging over to the pearl.

"When can the ship be ready to pursue?" Beckett asked his first mate.

The mast of his ship then fell over into the ocean.

"Do you think he plans it out or just makes it up as he goes along?" the first mate asked in awe, receiving a frown from Beckett.

* * *

When Elizabeth arrived back home, she climbed back up and unlocked her door. Peaking out into the hall, Elizabeth noticed that she had not been missed. The servants were still going around doing their normal duties and her father was still in his study.

"Thank God!" Elizabeth sighed before flopping onto her bed.

_I can't believe Jack tried to leave me!! After all I did to help him! Maybe his not a good man after all! Maybe it all really was a dream…_

Elizabeth wanted a way out of this life, and it seemed like Jack was her window out, so to speak_. Maybe if I help him escape from jail…that's ridiculous…_

If she helped him escape she would be on the run from the law too…but wouldn't that be an adventure?

She would never have to come here again. She would never have to worry about her father's standers again. And she wouldn't have to marry James and be a proper wife.

**She could have freedom she had always wanted.**

**

* * *

I love reviews! The more I get the quicker I'll update!  
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	9. Chapter 9

A/N- Thanks to **Pirate-on-fleet-street, Freedom's Call, Dragoness of the Silver flames, and zutarababe** for their wonderful reviews. Please keep reading and reviewing. Reviews make me happy. P.S. In about a week and a half, I'm going to be at a camp that doesn't allow electronics. AHHH!! So I won't be able to update for quite a while then. But I'm hoping to get at least one more chapter up before hand. **Read, Review, and Enjoy!!**

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* * *

**"Jack!!! Where's Elizabeth!" Will shouted running up to the captain when he landed back on deck.

"What do you mean where's Elizabeth?" A baffled Jack replied. " Really, lad. We've been out at sea for 2 months now, give or take a few, with the ocean blue stretching near and far as the eye can see in every direction possible. Yet you are asking where the she is. Where else could she bloody be?!" Jack steamed.

Will was wearing on his last nerve with all this talk about Elizabeth. It was just making him worry more, and that's not good. Captain Jack Sparrow doesn't care about others! _She's fine mate. You'll see._

"But I checked her cabin and she wasn't there!" Will insisted, shoving some pirates aside, following Jack to the helm.

"Maybe you should just keep better track of her, you know. Lock her up somewhere." Jack stood at the helm, keeping his barriers held up around him.

_She's fine mate. I swear. There's no need to worry._ Jack repeated to himself, trying not to stress out. _Your Captain Jack Sparrow, remember? _

"She's not my problem anymore, now is she Jack?" Will glared at Jack's expression. His forehead was creased and his mouth in a small pout.

"What are you talking about, William. Oh course she is there. Seriously, your finding skills are a bit lax I have to say, seeing it took you so long to find a stinken key!"

"I happen to be very good at finding things Jack. No matter what you may say!" Will stood to the right of the helm, trying to have a conversation with Jack, while he was clearly busy steering.

Seeing his chance, Jack passed the wheel back to Cotton and turned to face Will, leaning back on one of his hands on the railing.

"I find it rather hard to believe that you, the hidden finder won't find it rather hard to find a person who is particularly good at hiding. Finding being the actual locating of said hiding person, who is in fact hidden to the point that finding by the hidden finder is

almost like hiding, but in fact, finding the hidden is actually almost always like hiding, savvy?" Jack finished with a tilt of his head.

"What?" Will grimaced

"That's what I thought." Jack said before making his way towards Elizabeth's cabin.

"She's not there Jack. I just told you that."

"Of course she's there. Why don't you let an expert finder handle this, eh?" Jack added before strolling below deck and towards her cabin.

"Lizzie?" He asked when he reached her cabin, lightly tapping on the door.

Not receiving an answer, Jack cautiously pushed it open and walked in.

Jack didn't see her anywhere. "Why is she not there?" He thought aloud.

Where did she go? Was she still in the locker? Had she drowned like he thought? Is she hurt? Did Beckett or Sao Feng take her? Or was a certain whelp desperate to do anything to get his girl back?

* * *

"JACK!" Elizabeth screamed, waking up with a start.

She had had a nightmare. Jack was up on a platform, at the hangman's noose. She couldn't stand it. He was innocent. Well as innocent as a pirate can be. And nobody was doing anything!! They all just stood there watching him, ready to see him hang. And she couldn't do anything about it. She was chained to something. She couldn't tell what it was, but it wouldn't allow her to move or do what she wanted. The drums began to pound. The rope was put around Jack's neck. She yelled at them, demanding them to stop, but they wouldn't. It was like they couldn't even hear her. Elizabeth struggled with the chains, but they wouldn't give. She then noticed that what she was tied to was moving her. It was taking her away from Jack, away from her freedom. She noticed the thing's refection in the water near by. It was James. He was taking her away. He was stealing her freedom. He was causing her pain. Elizabeth heard the drums stop in the distance, as Norrington continued to force her to move away. She then saw Jack drop and hang lifelessly from the rope. "JACK!"

Elizabeth looked down at her hand. How had she gotten that ring? She knew it was Jack's. She remembered that much from the strange dream she had the night before.

Elizabeth glanced at the grandfather clock next to her closet. It was early, but she doubted she could go back asleep. Not after what she just had dreamed.

Elizabeth slowly rose from her bed and went to her closet to get dressed. She decided to wear a rose colored dress with gold lining. It was one of her favorites and she hoped Jack would like it.

She had to go see him. There was something about him that fascinated her. His freedom, his attitude, his manner of speaking, it all intrigued her. Also she had a feeling that the dream she had had was much more than a dream, that this man had a lot to do with her destiny.

And he happened to be Jack Sparrow. Elizabeth had read so many stories about him when she was a child. All of his escapes and adventures first got her interested in pirates. And then she had met William Turner, a young boy just her age who had a pirate medallion. The medallion was all it took to get Elizabeth interested in Will.

But now Elizabeth knew better. There was no way Will could be a pirate. Not with the way he acted. He was always so proper and tight laced. Why couldn't he call her Elizabeth!!

_Jack did_. She thought. _And I had never really met him before. Why can't Will be more like Jack?_

_Stop it Elizabeth. That's not fair. Will is nice too, he's just not your type._

After she finished dressing herself, Elizabeth strode downstairs for some breakfast. No one was up yet, so she sunk into the kitchen and grabbed as basket and filled it with fruit, bread, water, and rum. Elizabeth had heard that pirates like rum. And she did recall Jack saying something about it in her dream.

She then proceeded to walk out the front door and head towards the jail. Hopefully she wouldn't have any difficulty with the guards. If she did, she would just have to play either the Commodores' Fiancée or Governors' Daughter card. She played them both so well.

Knocking on the Jailer's door, Elizabeth was greeted with a smelly, old man who was slightly balding. "What do you want, Missy" the jailed grunted

"I'm here to see one of your prisons. A Mr. Jack Sparrow." Elizabeth said trying to be polite.

"What would a respectable young lady like yourself want to do with him?" He asked suspiciously

"I…um…he saved my life and I am here to thank him. I don't see any harm in that sir."

"Very well. But not to long, miss. Wouldn't want a lady such as yourself to be losing her reputation for associating with pirates." The jailer then pushed the door all the way open, inviting her in.

"Thank you sir." Elizabeth hated everyone's attitude towards pirates. They are not all that bad. Here is living proof. If Jack Sparrow really was heartless and bloodthirsty like they all say pirates are, then why would he save a girl's life?

"Mr. Sparrow, you have a visitor." Elizabeth spotted a man in the farthest cell to the left, resting his body against the wall, sitting on a barrel, with his hat covering his eyes.

"Captain! It's Captain Jack Sparrow!" Jack grumbled, not bothering to see who his visitor was.

Elizabeth just stood there in front of Jack's cell, not knowing what to do. What had she come here for again?

"Well? What is it you want?" Jack drawled

"Jack…I…" He recognized that voice. Jack shifted himself to sit upright, and lifted his hat from his eyes.

"Lizzie, darling, what are you doing here?" Jack was surprised to see her after what he had done, abandoning her like that.

"I brought you some food. I thought we might share it." She said, moving closer to the bars now.

"That's lovely, but why? I left you behind? Don't you think I ruddy old scoundrel?" Jack also moved closer to the bars, strutting his usual walk.

"Oh, course I do!!" Elizabeth gave him a scowl and narrowed her eyes. " But ruddy old scoundrels have to eat too, now don't they?" Jack smirked at her comment and chuckled.

"Aye. That we do." Jack sat down cross-legged in front of his bars, facing her. Elizabeth sat down also, doing the same. She then handed him a small loaf of bread.

"Thanks love." He said as he took a bite of it hastily. He was starving. He had been out at sea for so long on that little dingy, that he hadn't had a good meal in ages. "Nice Dress by the way." Jack added, earning a blush from Elizabeth.

Elizabeth remained silent, and ate some of her apple.

"So not that I don't appreciate this all, because I do. It's just, its a little weird coming form a total stranger." Jack said staring at her. _A very pretty total stranger._ "Not to mention I went back on my promise."

"Yes, well, you did save my life. And I'm still angry with you about that. Don't think I'm not!!" Elizabeth gave Jack a sly look, trying not to smile. She then reached into her

bag and took out the water and a bottle of rum.

"How did you know?" Jack said before he snatched the bottle from her hand and took a big gulp.

"What? About the rum?" Elizabeth said, taking a drink from the bottle of water instead.

"Not just the rum, darling. All of it."

"All of what?" She asked, slightly confused, taking another bite from her fruit.

"How did you know my name? About the rum? Why did you help me try to escape? And how the bloody hell did you get my ring?" Jack wouldn't stop staring at her. He never let his eyes move from her face.

"Well, Jack Sparrow, I don't think I'll tell you." Elizabeth said cockily, as if she knew the answers. She then got up and moved away from him a bit.

"And may I ask why not?" Jack was still on the floor, resting on his elbows, tilting his chin up to keep eye contact.

"Well you're the one who brought up the fact that you lied to me and ran away. I might as well do the same." Elizabeth said playfully.

Jack pointed his finger at her and winked " True. I did lie to you and run away. But what more can you expect from a pirate. And besides, love. That's not what you're doing to me. You're just not telling me anything at all." Jack finished wittily, knowing that he had won.

"Ah!! You really are the most annoying person I've ever met." Elizabeth huffed, angry that he had outwitted her.

"So I am told love. Were as you, I would say you are the weirdest Governor's Daughter I have ever met." Jack stood up, brushing the hay from his legs.

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth said offended.

"I'm just saying, not many Governor's Daughters would ask a pirate to run off with them, or swear in front of their father, or bring food to a pirate in Jail. Not what I call normal darling." Jack placed his hands on the bars, still not letting his eyes leave hers.

"Well maybe I'm not your average governor's daughter then." Elizabeth stepped closer to the bars again, glad that he had stopped badgering her with questions.

"I should certainly say not." Jack said seductively, grinning at her. He then reached his hand through the bars to brush some of her hair behind her ear.

This caught Elizabeth off guard. She freaked out. " Yes, well I'd better be going." She said as she quickly picked up the basket, not realizing that it was still open.

"So soon, Lizzie?" Jack said slyly, knowing what the rush was about.

"Yes, my father he will, and I have to…" She said franticly fidgeting, causing the basket's contents to spill out.

"Now look what you've done love. I guess you'll have to stay a little longer." Jack reached through the bars and picked up what he could to help her, stashing a few things.

"Thank you, Jack." Elizabeth was calmer now when he handed back the fruit that fell out.

" Come on Lizabeth. Tell me." Jack gave her a small puppy dog pout, which caused her to give in.

"Fine. I'll tell you some. I know your name from your legends of course. Who hasn't heard of Captain Jack Sparrow?" Jack gave her a crooked smile and she continued.

" About the rum, what pirate doesn't like rum? Really, that wasn't that hard to figure out. I tried to help you escape because you saved my life and I was hoping you could help me escape this place too. And that's it."

"You still haven't told me how you got my ring." Jack didn't fail to notice anything.

"That Mr. Sparrow, I think I shall save for another day." Elizabeth couldn't think of an explanation for that. She didn't even know.

"Captain! I thought you would learn this by now Miss Swann." Jack said trying to provoke her. And it worked.

"Why can't you bloody people just call my Elizabeth!" She shouted, but then caught herself. _Did I really just say that_?

"See. Everyone has a title that they prefer, Elizabeth." Jack took another sip from his rum.

"And what title do you prefer? Captain Sparrow perhaps?" Elizabeth moved closer to the bars, placing her arm on one of them.

"No, no, love. We're good friends you and I. You can call me Jack. But around my crew, that when you have to call me Captain, all right darling?" Jack tried again, placing his hand over hers. "None of that Mr. Sparrow nonsense." Jack said in disgust.

Elizabeth didn't move her hand away. This was actually happening. It wasn't just another dream or hallucination or vision. This was real.

"Savvy."

Elizabeth giggled at Jack's facial expression. He was utterly surprised by her remark but he liked it.

"That's more like it." He smirked. "You'd make a good pirate you know Lizziebeth."

"Would I? And what makes you say that Jack?" Elizabeth flirted

"Lets just say you've got the attitude. You long for freedom and adventure. Just like any pirate does. I wouldn't be surprised if you do turn into one, one of these days. I could teach you if you like." Jack held her hand, not wanting to let go. She really was the most interesting girl he had ever met.

"Really?" Elizabeth asked excitedly

"Course I will. I'll teach you to sword fight, pillage, even steer the ship if you like. That is once I get out of this cell here." Elizabeth became very sad. That was never going to happen. "Don't worry. It's only a small snag really. Then, once I get the pearl back, I take you anywhere. I promise." Jack seemed sincere. _I would if I could get out of this cell._

Elizabeth smiled back at him and squeezed his hand. It all seemed so wonderful. Except for the fact that Jack was in Jail.

Jack glanced down at Elizabeth's hand. " You can keep that you know. If you'd like." Jack rubbed his finger over the emerald jewel.

"Thank you Jack. Now I really should go. My father is probably looking for me." Elizabeth said, letting go of Jack's hand and heading towards the door. But Jack stopped her.

"This doesn't have anything to do with the fact that if your seen with me it could hurt your reputation does it?" Jack smugly said, still standing where Elizabeth left him.

"Course not. I'm a pirate now too remember?" Jack nodded.

"Aye. That you are." He moved back towards his barrel. " Are you coming tomorrow, Liz?"

"Why do you ask such a question Jack?" Elizabeth provoked.

"Just need to know when the foods coming that all, deary." Jack stated stubbornly, pulling his hat back over his eyes again.

"Uh!" Elizabeth exclaimed annoyed as she marched up stairs. When she reached the top she smiled. _Jack Sparrow wants to teach me to be a pirate._

_

* * *

_Jack rushed back on deck, freaking out. Now that he gotten her, someone had to just go and take her away from him. He hadn't even seen here since last night, so for all he knew she could still be back in the locker.

He didn't know what to think or who to blame. But he did know one thing. Will Turner seemed like the most likely suspect.

"Mr. Gibbs! Prepare a longboat." Jack shouted

"What for captain? There isn't even any land insight." Gibbs asked confused

"I believe Mr. Turner has out stayed his welcome." Jack growled upset and motioned for to Marty and Cotton to grab Will.

"Hey!! What do you think your doing??" Will shouted as they grabbed him.

"I'm guessin' this be the punishment then?" Barbossa asked

"Go away! No one wants you here!" Jack barked back. _Where was Lizzie?_

"Is he right Captain?" Gibbs verified

"Of course he's right. No, I just wanted to force him into a long boat for no apparent reason." He said with very heavy sarcasm

"Hey! What?" Will Exclaimed again as he was tossed into the boat.

"Well boy. This is where your journey with us ends. Hope you enjoyed your little adventure blacksmith." Jack snarled. _Why did you take Lizzie away from me!!_

William threw dangers at Jack with his eyes. _He's using Elizabeth missing to get back at me. He just wants me out of the way. He wants to hurt me in every possible way he can_.

Jack returned his stare. " Here's your pistol with one shot." He said tossing it to Will. " And some bread and water. I'm not that cruel boy." Jack said angrily. _Though I should be._

"Go to Hell Jack Sparrow!" Will shouted at him, shooting the gun at him. Luckily Jack ducked in time.

"Right back at you, whelp!" Jack stormed over to the helm, happy that Will was now off of his ship.

"Umm…Sir?" Gibbs asked, standing behind Jack

"What!" Jack was in a really bad mood, Gibbs could tell.

"Well, don't you think that might have been a little harsh, I mean it was nice of you to give him bread and water, but don't you think he could of use some oars?"

"I'm not as mean as I look, Mr. Gibbs." Jack said, gazing off into the horizon. "The oars are in the bottom." Jack gave one more look at the horizon before he decided to search the everywhere on the ship.

_She has to be here…_


	10. Chapter 10

A/N- Really long Ch. this time. Thanks going out to all those who have reviewed so far and those who haven't but have read. You know who you are. :) Just want to say a few things here. Yes, I know I need to change more things in the future and I will. But more needs to happen in the past in order for some of it to change. Particularly involving the original COTBP plot. I'm guessing you can think of a few things that didn't happen already. Anyways I hope you enjoy this extremely long chapter. Hopefully it will hold you over until I get back from my two-week trip. Gasp!

I do not own POTC, though I would love to change somethings in the plot around. Particularly about a certain Pirate Captain and his Pirate King....

**Read. Review. Enjoy**.

* * *

Elizabeth knew she shouldn't have acted that way with Jack. She barely knew the man for Christ's sake! There was no reason for her to flirt with him. _What must he think of me?_

_He probably thinks I'm just one of those girls in Tortuga. He must think I'm someone he can mess with, with no consequences at all. He just thinks I some girl he can have his way with that's all. _

Elizabeth was hurting herself with these thoughts. She knew she just met him, but there was something, something that she couldn't put her finger on, that she felt for him.

She remembered him in her dreams so vividly. He was exactly as was now, sly and arrogant with a knowing grin on his face. Oh how she hated that smile. Or rather she hated how it made her melt even with such little acquaintance.

_I really shouldn't have talked that way with him_. _Or gone to see him at all, for that matter_! She continued to herself as she walked through her gates.

_Freedom, Lizzie. Remember that._ She heard him say in her mind before she reached for the doorknocker.

But before she could even knock, the door flew open.

"Elizabeth! Where on earth have you been!" Elizabeth's father ran and embraced her, knocking the basket from her hands.

The governor's attention was immediately brought to the basket hitting the floor at his daughter's feet.

"What is this?" He asked confused, picking up the basket and examining it.

"Elizabeth! Thank God your all right!" Norrington rushed towards her and hugged her just as her father had. The governor just stood there, still looking at the basket's contents.

The commodore noticed this and turned towards the other man. "What is that you've got, sir?"

Governor Swann said nothing. He just moved back inside, not glancing at either of them.

Elizabeth stared after her father, stunned. She had come home, expecting a lecture, and now nothing. Her father hadn't said anything. He didn't even ask her why she had the basket. He had just left without saying a word.

"So Elizabeth, where have you been?" James turned his attention back to her.

"Oh…Out for an early morning picnic that's all. I'm so sorry I neglected to tell anyone. I really was nothing you should worry about." Elizabeth lied through her teeth as they made there way into the mansion parlor. Her father was sitting in an armchair, the basket on one side of him, his head in his hands.

Elizabeth was bothered by what she saw. Why would her father be so upset? She hadn't been gone that long, had she? What in the basket could make her father this upset?

"Umm…Elizabeth…I was wondering if you've had much time to consider my proposal." The commodore said awkwardly, clearing his throat.

"Oh, James, I…" Elizabeth glanced at her father. He seemed upset. Was it because he knew she went to see Jack? Because he knew she was going to throw her life away. Could she leave Port Royal and disgrace her family if it was going to cause her father such pain?

"Well?" He asked, slightly impatient.

The governor looked up from his hands. Elizabeth locked eyes with her father. A memory suddenly burst forth in her mind.

I'm so proud of you Elizabeth

In her dream her father had died, and she hadn't been there for him. She was off at sea. She had completely abandoned him.

Elizabeth continued to stare into her father's eyes. "Yes. I will." If this is what her father wanted, she would do it; to make him happy, to be there for him, unlike how she had been in her dream.

She could not let that happen. Not again. _Was it again?_

The governor just stared at her stunned, wondering why she had accepted Norrington.

"Excellent." James said trying to hide how happy he was that she had said yes.

Elizabeth faked a smile and walked away towards her room, not wanting them to see her cry. Now she would never have her freedom, because she would do anything for her father, anything to make him happy.

* * *

"Why is all the rum always bloody gone?" Jack said, throwing his rum bottle off his desk with a brush of his hand. Not even all the rum in the world could make him happy right now.

They had taken her. Now that she was finally his, they had taken her, the gods of fate and destiny standing in his way. Or at least it always seemed.

Jack Sparrow sat in his cabin with his feet resting on his desk, contemplating how life seemed to be peculiarly cruel lately. He attention was upon his compass, hoping that it might point to where she had gone. _How can someone just disappear like that? It's not possible! _

_Not probable_ a little voice in his head said, causing Jack to smile a bit. But his grin was immediately wiped of his face when he looked back at his compass. It had no direction. It just continued to spin in circles.

_I wonder why. If Turner or even Beckett did take her away, why does my compass not point_ _in that direction? And even if she did drown_, Jack gulped, hating to think about it, _It still would point to the direction she had drowned._

Maybe she is still in the locker…

Jack shivered in disgust. He hated the locker. It was like a living hell. Well, not like it, it was.

What if his Lizzie was stuck there, suffering and all alone, thinking that no one would come and save her.

Thinking about Elizabeth triggered a memory Jack never knew existed.

"I'll teach you how to sword fight, pillage, even steer the ship if you like. Once I get the pearl back I'll take you anywhere. I promise."

Jack shook his head, trying to get rid of the nonsense in his brain.

"Ruddy old scoundrels need to eat too don't they?"

What was happening to him lately? Elizabeth didn't come see him in jail. She never brought him food. Maybe he had just been having too much rum recently, that's all.

"Nice dress by the way."

He had never seen her in a rose colored dress before. Come to think of it, the only time he had seen her in a dress was at the bottom of the ocean, and that was before he proceeded to rip it off.

"I know your name from your legends of course. Who hasn't heard of Captain Jack Sparrow? About the rum, what pirate doesn't like rum? Really, that wasn't that hard to figure out. I tried to help you escape because you saved my life and I was hoping you could help me escape this place too. And that's it."

This made Jack puzzled. _When did Lizzie try to save me?_ It all seemed so real in his mind, more real than what actually happened. _What actually happened again?_

He knew it wasn't this, but he still couldn't remember anything now about his time in jail except this memory. It was like it had been erased from his mind.

A loud crash of a wave on the side of the hull drew Jack back to the present.

They really seemed to be moving fast. The Black Pearl was on its way to Shipwreck Cove. Thanks to the particular demands of a certain sea goddess on board, they would arrive there promptly.

"That's it!" Jack thought out loud.

Tia Dalma. She could tell him where Elizabeth was.

* * *

Elizabeth didn't know what to do now. She had told Norrington that she would marry him for her father, but she didn't know if she could actually go through with it now.

After thinking about it for a while when she was crying, the more improbable it seemed that she would.

Yes, she loved her father. And yes, she wanted him to be happy. _But doesn't my father want me to be happy too?_ As if answering her thoughts, someone knocked on the door.

"Elizabeth, I know where you've been today." The governor said from outside her room. "And it makes me wonder if perhaps you made you decision today for the wrong reason." He continued

Elizabeth froze, listening to her father through her bedroom door. She didn't know what to say in response.

"I just want you to know that I'm alright Elizabeth. You don't have to worry about me. I'm a grown man. If you want to leave Port Royal, for whatever reason, you should know that it is fine by me. I can take care of myself I promise. And as for Commodore Norrington, I'm sure he would understand. He loves you Elizabeth, and would do anything to make you happy, as would I. Even if I don't always agree with your choices."

He had seen the rum bottle in her basket. That was his clue. He knew his daughter never drank rum, and that it was a pirate's drink. He also knew that she had disappeared early in the morning, hoping not to be seen. He had seen her sneak into the kitchen and go off with some food. He also realized when she got back that all the food missing was way too much for just one person to eat. That's when he thought of Jack Sparrow and the way his daughter and that pirate had interacted on the dock. It was uncanny. They acted as if they knew each other even though they had just met.

"Thank you Father." Elizabeth said, throwing open the door, and hugging Governor Swann tightly.

"He is a pirate though Elizabeth. And he can't be trusted." He father added seriously.

"Father I…Wait what?" Elizabeth was confused by his comment. About who could he be talking?

"Sparrow of course. He's in line to be hung too, so your chances are slim."

"Father, Jack and I are just friends I promise. Really, nothing has happened between us." Elizabeth reassured nervously. _That's the right word isn't it?_

"Has happened." The governor mumbled.

"I'll be careful, and like you said father, the chances of him breaking free are slim to none." Elizabeth remembered her dream. Jack hung on a rope, dead and dangling in the breeze. "But thank you for what you said. I would really like to leave Port Royal soon. I don't know. It's like somewhere inside of me I can feel an adventure coming and it's calling to me."

"Nothing dangerous I hope. No battles, or pirates." Her father warned. He doubted that there wouldn't be pirates. They had always fascinated his daughter.

He had taken her freedom away when she was young, and he wished to give it back. But he did hope that she could avoid being in any battles. He didn't want her getting hurt.

"Oh, father." Elizabeth chuckled, rolling her eyes. She longed for danger in her life.

"When shall you leave then, my grand traveling daughter?" The governor teased. He wanted her to live her life and be happy. And he didn't think she could do that in Port Royal. Not anymore. Something about his daughter had changed yesterday. It was like she was completely different.

"As soon as possible I hope. I must do some things first though. I have to let James know and talk to him. I have to also find a ship that with take me where ever I like, and say goodbye to Will and Jack of course." Elizabeth's smile faded a bit. Jack. He could very well hang if she didn't help him somehow.

"Elizabeth? Are you alright?" Her father asked, alarmed by her change of mood.

"Yes. Yes I'm fine. Thank you." She uttered just above a whisper, thinking.

If there was some way of getting Jack out of jail, he could steer the ship for her. And he had promised to take her anywhere she wanted to go. Then they explore the earth and sail the seven seas together. Jack would not die like in her terrible dream. But how?

"Maybe you should get some fresh air?" Governor Swann suggested, turning so she could pass by him.

"I think I will. Thank you."

* * *

Right after Elizabeth had left Jack noticed that she had dropped something. A light pink handkerchief. He moved his hand through the bars and picked it up.

_Classic governors' daughter. Drops her handkerchief hoping for a charming young man to pick it up and return it to her. I'll have to tease Lizzie about that when she comes back._ He thought, glancing down at the initials embroidered on the cloth.

E.M.S.

I wonder what the M stands for…

Jacks musings where interrupted when a man in uniform marched in and opened his cell.

"Free already? That was quick!" Jack said, standing up quickly and putting his hat back on his head, still clutching the handkerchief.

"Not so fast Mr. Sparrow." The commodore said as he strode into the cell, the other officer shut it behind him. "Sorry to disappoint." He added sarcastically.

"Commodore. To what do I owe this great pleasure." Jack sat back down again, and played with the cloth in his hand, not looking up at Norrington.

"Well Mr. Sparrow, I…" Norrington got distracted, watching the pirate mess with the material in his hand. "As I said I…" Jack was still not looking at him and it was making him angry. "I've come to tell you that you're hanging date has been set. You will be at the gallows on Thursday."

"Of I see. Delightful." Jack grimaced, brushing his fingers over the sewn letters.

Commodore Norrington continued to stare at Jack, there was something amusing about a pirate holding a pink handkerchief. _That's what it was, a handkerchief. Probably got it from some slut in Tortuga._

"Come now Sparrow. Hand it over." James said, extending his arm.

"Hand over what?" Jack questioned, finally looking up.

"What you are holding in your hand?" The commodore stated annoyed

Jack thought slyly to himself. _If the commodore finds out, then I'm sure they won't get married. What? What do I care if she gets bloody married? It's not like it matters. She's just a girl mate._

"Oh, this." Jack handed it over nonchalantly.

The commodore glanced down at the initials. E.M.S.

James Norrington was furious. He recognized this handkerchief. He had given it to Elizabeth for her seventeenth birthday. He had a special seamstress design the lettering just for her and put it on pink silk imported from China. And she had given it to Jack.

He squashed the cloth in his fist, and pushed open the bars, almost sprinting out of the Jail.

* * *

Jack rushed out of his cabin and looked around deck for Tia Dalma.

"I'm so sorry Captain." A crewmember said who was swabbing the deck.

By now word had gotten out to the crew that Elizabeth had gone missing. Still thinking that the captain and her were engaged, the crew couldn't help but feel sorry for their poor captain. Jack however, was oblivious to the fact that his whole, entire crew thought that he was soon to be married.

"Umm… Thank ye I guess." Jack shook his head as he walked towards Tia Dalma, who he had finally spotted at the stern. _Why is my crew being so chatting all of the sudden?_

"Jack Sparrow." Tia said knowingly, not bothering to turn her back to the ocean to see who had approached.

"Aye… We should be arriving soon I wager." Jack said trying to make small talk, leaning on the rail next to her.

"Cut the chatter, Sparra'. What is it that you want?" Tia Dalma demanded Jack to get to the point.

"Well," Jack cleared his throat, " it's about Miss Swann…"

Jack tried to seem indifferent. But was unsuccessful. The goddess already knew about what was going on between the pirate captain and the young girl.

"Ah, yes. I was wondering when you would discover her missing." She tilted her head to the side and gave Jack a small smirk. "Aye. I know more den you dink"

Jack stared at her, stunned. How long had she known? Had she really known about his feelings for Elizabeth and not told him that she was missing?

"Tell me why my compass doesn't work?" He replied, pulling in out and into her face, trying to keep up his image. Jack Sparrow does **not **fall in…

_I wouldn't go that far_ Jack ordered to himself. _Pull it together. Before you know it you'll turn into a whelp, kissing her hands and feet._ Jack stuck out his tongue, getting a weird glance from Tia Dalma.

"It doesn't work because what you want most in not here." Tia Dalma explained.

"What is that suppose to mean!" He just wanted a straight answer where she was. "Can you please just tell me if we have to bloody return to the locker?" Jack added aggravated by the fact the she wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know. _Maybe this is all_ _just a waste of time_. He opened his compass and saw that it was pointing wildly in all directions.

"No. Dat will not be necessary."

"Then where is she?" Jack insisted, looking down at the constant spinning arrow. He looked up to meet her eyes and saw that they were blank. He could tell she had no intention of telling him.

Jack walked away, saddened by the fact that he had gotten nowhere. He still didn't know where his Lizzie was. Then a voice called back to him from behind.

"It's not where Captain Sparrow. It's when."

* * *

Elizabeth sat out in her garden on a bench, just outside the mansion. The garden was positioned below her bedroom balcony so that she could see her flowers blossoming.

Elizabeth loved her garden. She started it when she was very young, right after she moved from England. It was like her own little world where she could hide away in and pretend. She remembered playing Pirates and Sailors in the garden with Will. She always wanted to be a pirate, while Will preferred to be a sailor.

"Oh come on, Will! Don't be such a pussy!" Elizabeth shouted at him holding a wooden stick as a sword.

_Will had refused to play. He said that it was childish of them to still be playing games at 12. He had just become an apprentice at Mr. Brown's Blacksmith shop and was ready to grow up._

"_I don't want to play anymore. I'm sick of being the stupid sailor that gets tricked and captured by pirates."_

"_It's not my fault you fall for everything!" Elizabeth said, trying to hand Will his 'sword'_

"_Elizabeth, I can't do this anymore! I've got responsibilities now. Mr. Brown is depending on me!" Will whined on._

"_Oh, come on. Just this once! I haven't seen you in ages!" Elizabeth insisted, stomping through the flowerbed towards him, thrusting the 'sword' into his hands._

"_Avast ye landlubber!" She said, raising the sword above her head._

_Will sighed, but gave in. _

"_Stow it you pirate!" Will lunged forward and they started to duel around the yard._

"_Face it boy you don't have a chance." Elizabeth growled, trying to make her voice sound manly. _

_Will laughed at her attempt._

"_Think again, Pirate!" He said before he jumped up on the bench and started attaching her from above._

_Elizabeth joined him on bench and they continued to fight until Will knocked the stick out of Elizabeth's hands._

"_Parley?" Elizabeth looked down at the stick pointed at her throat, imagining it was a razor sharp sword._

_Just then her heard her father call._

"_Elizabeth! Come in this house this instant!"_

_She could hear him walking towards them. She glanced down at the stick and then at Will again._

"_Truces!" She yelped before jumping off the bench and pulling him behind a tree to hid._

"_Elizabeth, I know you're out here!" The governor exclaimed not seeing the children._

"_Shh…" Elizabeth giggled in Will's ear, peaking out behind her tree towards her father._

"_You know this is nothing like how a young lady should act Elizabeth. Thinking of pirates as heroes? Playing around all day with a blacksmith? I expected more of you. I can tell you this, once you come back inside this house, there will be no more blacksmiths, no more playing in the garden, and most of all, _no more pirates_." Her father said sternly before he turned around and walked back inside._

Elizabeth turned to face Will, and found that he was walking away walking away.

"_Where are you going?" Elizabeth asked hurt._

"_I told you this was a bad idea." He said throwing the stick away. He couldn't see her anymore._

"_Will?"_

"_Listen to your father Miss Swann." Will said turning away, leaving her all alone. _

That's when Elizabeth knew her life had changed. She had been forced to grow up from then on. She had lost the little bit of freedom she had. The wonderland that had once brought her fun and adventure, empty, leaving behind only a garden full of trampledflowers.

Elizabeth heard foots steps behind her so she turned to who had come.

"Miss Swann, anyway you can explain this?" Norrington said furiously thrusting the handkerchief into her face.

"What? Where did you get that?" Elizabeth asked amazed, looking down into the pocket of her dress, just now noticing it was missing.

"So how was your picnic today, Elizabeth? Pleasant?" He raged on.

"I… What? Why are you so angry?"

"Oh, I wonder. Could it be the fact that my fiancé lied to me about being with another man!" James said, violently moving his arms.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about…"Elizabeth said nervously. She wanted to break the news softly, not like this! _How did he get my handkerchief?_

"Oh, I think you do."

Elizabeth was speechless. How had this happened so fast? She had only gone to see Jack once and they didn't even do anything! They were just friends! _Right?_

"It's not what you think James." She implored

"Oh, isn't it?" He said sarcastically. " That's odd. Then I wonder how Mr. Sparrow came in possession of this!" James threw the cloth at her. She caught it and looked down at it. It was hers of course.

"I have no idea, James. He must have picked it up in the jail after I left." Right after she finished, she regretted what she said. _Bugger_

"Ah, I see." Norrington said, hurt that his suspicions actually turned out to be true. He began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" She asked startled by his sudden retreat and change of mood.

"I guess this was a bad idea. I knew you could never love me." The commodore said depressed.

"James, I'm sorry." She sympathized, standing up from the bench to go talk to him.

"Maybe I should have just listened to your father." James said out loud almost to himself.

"What?" Elizabeth was confused by his remark. When did her father tell Norrington to propose to her?

"Goodbye Elizabeth. I hope you have the life you've always dreamed of." Norrington left not waiting for a reply.

Elizabeth was shocked. James had left just like Will had many years ago when she lost her freedom. But now it had the reverse affect. She was free! She had nothing holding her back from going out to sea and having an adventure like those she used to make up.

Well, there was Jack. And Will of course. She wanted them both to come with her, but if Will was going to be a prat like he had been when they were younger about pirates, she would forget it.

_That's it!!_

_Will can help me free Jack! He is a Blacksmith after all!_

Elizabeth looked up at the sky and noticed that the sun was setting in beautiful shades of orange and pink. She chuckled at how her life had changed in just 24 hours, all because of a dream.

_Funny how it all worked out, isn't it?_


	11. Chapter 11

Thanks to Pirate-on-fleet-street and Cabbage_Merchant for reviewing the last chapter. This chapter is a lot shorter than what I normally write, so I apologize. It's just, I started school back up so this all I had time to write. Hopefully there will be a new update next weekend.

* * *

James Norrington had been pacing the deck of the Flying Dutchman for sometime now. They had captured the crew of the Empress along with their captain, Sao Feng, on of the 9 pirate lords Beckett had been searching for. The whole crew was surprisingly unharmed, not being injured by the Dutchman's cannons or it's crewmembers. The captain had surrendered immediately, willing to give them the information they had not succeeded in getting from another, as long as he remained on the winning team. He had also bargained with Beckett to let his crew off at the next port unharmed. Little did Sao Feng know that his crew was to be followed.

James was sick all of this; the battles, the betrayals, the deaths, and the deals, it was against all of his standards.

What would the Governor say about him now? He would have been so disappointed in his behavior. But James had sworn an oath to Beckett when he took his position, so he had no means of leaving unless he planned on joining up with the pirates.

But he couldn't just stay there and watch them hurt innocent people. Most of the people they had hung went even pirates at all. They had just met one before. Is that a crime now? If so shouldn't all of the army be hung as well?

James gazed out at the sea, trying to decide what to do. What about Elizabeth? She could be in harm too.

Then a memory popped into his head. She had chosen this life. He had let her go with no protection. He had ended their engagement…after a day!

_Since when!_ He thought to himself, though he knew that it was true. He had let her have what she wanted most, her freedom. She had gone out to sea in search of it. And she had left him behind.

Now she was being hunted down like all the rest of the pirates, facing the noose any minute. He couldn't let that happened to her. He still cared for her, even if things didn't workout between them. And even if not for her, he had to do it for her father. Governor Swann had done so much for him over the years, been almost like a father figure to him. He couldn't let his daughter die. He had to protect her, find someway of getting her safely to England where she could live with her father in peace.

Norrington had decided. He had no other choice. He had to join up with the pirates and find Elizabeth at Shipwreck Cove. He now knew the directions thanks to Sao Feng and he had the pirate's piece of eight too. But how was he going to escape without having them come after him.

James had an idea. He would destroy his coat and hat, and then place them in the water, making it look like he was attacked and thrown overboard. As for an explanation of the boat missing, he would throw some wood from the barrels over too, so it looking like the boat was destroyed also. That should work shouldn't it? For two seconds, he wished he were Jack Sparrow. Making plans would be so much easier.

* * *

Elizabeth dashed down the streets on Port Royal at night, dodging the people moving the opposite direction. They all gave the governors daughter funny looks once more as she ran in and out of them rather unladylike, grasping her skirt in her hands.

Once Elizabeth came across the street she wanted, she stopped running. The light from the moon reflected in the windows as she continued down the street to her destination. She didn't really know why she had run anyway. Maybe it was because Jack only had limited time to live or because she was so excited she was free, she didn't know. All she knew was that she needed to get out of Port Royal fast, but not with out Jack.

"Will!! Will! It's Elizabeth!! Open up!" Will heard her yell from outside. Was it really Elizabeth? What on earth was she doing there at this time of night?

"Miss Swann?" He called, his ear next to the door listening to see if it was really her.

"Of course it's me! How many Elizabeth's do you know!" She shouted slightly heated.

At that Will hurried and opened up the door, not wanting to anger her anymore then he apparently already had.

Will say a vision of beauty when he opened the door. There the girl of his dreams stood, cheeks slightly flushed pink and brown eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"What is it you want?" Will asked politely.

"I need you help." She stated as she rushed in, not even looking at him, but looking around at the walls, searching for something that could get Jack out.

"Help with what? Can't it wait till tomorrow? You really shouldn't be here." Will warned, confused why she was there.

"No. It can't. By this time tomorrow I plan to be far out at sea, as far as I can get from this place." Elizabeth finally looked at him, her eyes telling him not to question her why.

"Then what do you need my help for?" Will couldn't think of anything else but the fact that she was leaving him.

"I need you to help me free Jack." She said as though it was no big deal.

"Jack Sparrow?" Will remembered how she had helped the pirate escape from him yesterday and the way she had acted towards him. But Elizabeth had just met Jack. She had known him for 10 years. It's not fair. I love her, and he never will. He's a pirate. It's against his nature.

"Yes. Hurry. We must escape here before sunrise." She said motioning to him to pick up his tools, but Will just stood there.

"I'm not going to help a pirate escape. I could get arrested myself." Will didn't move a muscle.

"Please Will. He's my only chance of getting out of here. He said he'd take me anywhere I want to go at no charge. And you don't think he deserves to die, do you Will? You can't! He really is a good man deep down inside. I can sense it." Elizabeth pleaded with him.

Will stared at her stunned. She really did like this pirate. She may not admit to it, but he could tell. And Jack had offered to take her wherever she wanted. He doubted Jack had good intentions though. What would she say if he said he wanted to come with? Would she let him? Probably not. She probably wants alone time with that fabulously handsome pirate of hers. Will hated this_. It's not fair!!! Do I just get forgotten! What about her father! Her fiancé!_

"What about you father and the commodore?" Will was willing to do anything to make her stay. But the look in her eyes now was so desperate, like he held her life in his hands.

"It's fine. I talked to my father. He understands, and so does James. I'm free Will," She said in almost a whisper "and I don't want my freedom taken away from me again."

He couldn't stand it. The women he loved most in the world stood before him, practically begging for her freedom. It disturbed him on many levels. This was Elizabeth. Elizabeth, the girl he used to play Pirates and Sailors with in the garden. How far had they grow apart over the past few years, ever since he left that garden and their adventures behind. They were like complete strangers nowadays. And she had been so tough when she was young, not doing anything she was told. But she had grown up when he had decided to, and so the story ends. Elizabeth was trapped in a world she didn't belong. And all because of him.

But now was his chance to make it right. She could have the freedom and adventure she has always wanted so badly. He can fix things between them.

"So?" Elizabeth was nervous. Will was taking an awful long time deciding. "Are you going to help me free Jack?

Will had almost forgotten about Jack. He ruined everything.

"I don't know…" Will said reluctantly. There goes his perfect plan to win Elizabeth

"Please Will! Don't you like him?" She asked naively. Elizabeth had not picked up on the fact that Will was madly in love with her. Not even after all these years. _Why wouldn't someone like Jack? _

"I know you do." Will said, jealousy in his voice.

"Of course I do. He's really not that bad once you get to know him better."

So she had gotten to know him better. Will bite his tongue before his jealously completely took over him.

"Fine. Come on lets go." Will said at last, surrendering the fight. He could always just…

* * *

Jack woke up, hearing some noise outside his cell. He looked around his cell for a moment, but then not seeing anything he laid back down.

"Jack" He heard someone call from the outside.

He stood up quickly and went to the barred window. There, a few feet beneath him was his Lizzie. He had come to calling her as his because he couldn't ever think of her with someone other than him, even if he had just met her. He felt strongly for her.

"What are you doing here love?"

Before she could answer his question, Will came into Jack's view. _His Lizzie with someone else. _

"Are we going to do this or not?" Will said impatiently, not wanting to see their little reunion.

"Yes we are Will." Elizabeth growled through her teeth in response. _Man he is annoying!_

"What is it exactly your doing?" Jack hesitated in asking. _Why would they come here? To rub it in my face? Grant it I've only known the lass for like 2 days, but still! I thought I knew her, like we had some sort of connection. Now it's all lost because of this stupid whelp!_

"We are getting you out of there, and then we are running away." Elizabeth said while she stood on a crate and hooked a metal bar through the bars, being face to face with jack the whole time. "How does that sound?" Elizabeth questioned once she was done.

"Lovely. Pray may I ask where you two intend on running off to?" Jack said, covering up that it hurt him to know that she was running off with another man. _Didn't she want to run away with me?_

"Not Will, Jack. Us." Elizabeth blushed red. _Maybe he didn't want to go somewhere_ _with me. Maybe he doesn't like me. _

"Oh…then by all means, get me out." Jack smirked at her, relieved. _So the whelp is nothing then. _

Will moped in the background, not being noticed by either of them. This is how he was to be treated, ignored, when he was going to do all the work to get this pirate free.

"Elizabeth. Move away." Will said firmly. Will using her first name caught Elizabeth off guard, so she moved. _Finally!_

"What?" Jack questioned, confused as to what was happening. _Maybe the whelp is a problem._

"Jack, you might want to back up." Elizabeth warned.

"Why?"

Will then hit a whip on a horses back and the horse pulled the rope, causing the bars to come off in a cloud of dust.

"Jack!" Elizabeth cried. He hadn't moved back. She heard some coughing coming from the cell. She perched herself on top of the barrel again, and looked through the hole in the wall.

Jack stood up, still coughing, and swaying a bit more than usual, and came over to Elizabeth.

"I'm good. No worries darlin'." Jack said, his head still spinning a bit.

"Are you sure? You seem a bit dizzy." Elizabeth smiled at how silly he looked, almost falling over when he was standing up.

"I'm fine." He insisted

"We have to hurry! I'm sure someone heard that!" Will called from down below, witnessing there whole scene.

"I forgot he was here." Jack admitted, sad that he was.

Elizabeth just shook her head in response. She wanted Will gone too.

"Come on Jack, lets get out of here." Elizabeth smiled, turning her back to him to leave.

"Just one question love," Jack called to her, causing her to look back at him, waving his hands in the air, and stumbling, "Which ways out of here?"

Elizabeth laughed at him, and grabbed one of his hands, leading him to the exit.

"Come on Captain. We've got a ship to commandeer."

* * *

No one had heard them. They had made the loudest racket possible, but no one had heard them, so they were free to walk the streets, in no hurry.

Will lead the way, moving rather quickly, way faster than his companions that's for sure.

Jack and Elizabeth walked behind him slowly, Elizabeth telling Jack stories about her town. This was the last time she would see it. They walked together, Jacks arm around her waist, her's around his shoulder. It was originally because Jack needed help to walk straight, but that had pasted a long time ago. Now neither one wanted to let go.

"That over there is where I first scraped my knee." Elizabeth giggled, pointing to a street corner at the end of the road. " And that is where I had my first ball." She pointed to a pretty building across the street.

"What a exciting life you nobles live." Jack joked, earning more laughter from his partner.

"If you really want to know what its like, you should come to a ball sometime." Elizabeth turned her attention back to Jack.

"Yes, well I'd highly doubt I'd get invited. Especially with these." Jack picked up one of his dreadlocks and twisted it in his finger.

"I could invite you." Elizabeth flirted, patting his dreadlocks down.

"I'm deeply flattered Lizzie, but I don't think you'll be able to anymore." Jack said apologetically. He didn't want to ruin things for her.

"Oh…yes…quite the scandal it will be, running off with a pirate." Elizabeth teased, letting Jack know that she didn't care.

"Oh yes." Jack smiled at her, his golden teeth shining in the moonlight.

"Will you to keep up?" Will turned to look at them, jealousy taking him over. _A pirate gets to hold her like that and I don't_

"Sorry Lad. We're going as fast as we can." Jack said cockily, looking down at how they where walking.

"Well maybe you should cut the chatter, and focus on the matter at hand. Do you realize I could get arrested for this?" Will said through his teeth

"Yes, and I thank ye for your services. Now if you don't mind, I've got a ship to steal." Jack said noticing that they were at the harbor already, and moved past Will to climb aboard the Interceptor.

"Come on love." He said, helping her onto the ship.

"She's beautiful." Elizabeth said looking around at the masts and the sails. Everything was already ready to go.

"I've heard that she's suppose to be the fastest ship in these waters." Elizabeth gave him a look of disbelief. " Next to the Pearl that is." Elizabeth smiled at him. She felt like she'd known him for so long, even though it's only been 2 days.

"Could you toss that up son?" Jack asked looking back at Will still on the dock, watching them.

"What this?" Will said, pointing to the rope attached to the dock.

"Yes that, what else?" Jack rolled his eyes. _Really this boy can be so stupid at times!_

Will did what he was told and watched as the ship slowly moved away from the dock. Elizabeth was leaving, unprotected, with a pirate.

"Thank ye. You shall all ways remember this as the day that Jack Sparrow did…"

"Really Jack." Elizabeth gave him a stern look. "Goodbye Will. Thank you so much. I will forever be indebted to you." She shot him a smile and Will smiled back. He couldn't let her go alone. It wasn't safe. So while they weren't looking Will grabbed a hold of a rope and climbed aboard, not being noticed by either one.

Elizabeth looked back at the harbor and saw no Will. Strange. He must have left. She then turned to Jack. "Orders captain."

Jack smiled at her and pulled on his hat. "Hoist the main sail."

**Please Review!**


	12. Chapter 12

A/N- Quick thanks to those who reviewed Ch. 11, Spunkalovely, Pirate-on-fleet-street, and Heaven Sparkles. I'd also like to thank those who have added this story to their story alerts or favorites. You guys rock! Also anyone who is reading and doesn't have the courage, or account to review. I hope you all keep reading and I also hope you are enjoying the story. P.S. The next two chapters are mostly fluff! **Please Read and Review, you guys rock!**

Disclaimer- I do not own POTC, I do own a very confused Barbossa though…

* * *

Elizabeth grinned as she rushed to the main sail to fulfill Jack's order. She had always wondered what it would be like to work on a pirate ship.

_Apparently a lot harder than I thought_.

Elizabeth forced all her might into pulling the rope, but it wouldn't budge. _This could be difficult,_ she thought, trying not to draw Jack's attention to herself. _What if he thinks I'm not cut out for this?_

"Need help love?" Jack smirked, standing behind her.

"I can to very well on my own, thank you!" Elizabeth attempted to pull the rope again, acting stubborn.

"Fine. Have it your way then." Jack said as he backed off, his hands raised as if surrendering.

Elizabeth huffed and puffed as she tugged on the rope. She couldn't do this by herself, she had tried her hardest, but really who could?

"How's that sail coming?" Jack asked arrogantly. He knew she wouldn't be able to get it.

Elizabeth only mumbled some words under her breath in response. _So much for asking him for help._

Then Elizabeth felt him move behind her. He then proceeded to wrap his arms around her to reach the rope.

"You could have gone to the other side you know." She said trying to annoy him.

"Yes, but this is so much more fun." Jack said, earning a glare from the woman in front of him. " Now, what you do is move your hands over mine on the rope repeatedly as we both pull. It's much easier that way."

Elizabeth mumbled again, angry that he was treating he like a child. "I know that!"

"Do you now? I wonder why it took you so long to raise the sail one inch then?"

His face was by her ear, making her feel safe. _I'm supposed to hate you right now!_ She screamed on the inside.

Elizabeth face scrunched up in frustration as she began to pull on the rope once again, catching Jack off guard. He quickly caught up to her, moving faster with his hands than Elizabeth's.

"Slow Down! You're going to fast!" Elizabeth squealed, not being able to catch up to Jack's speed.

"Perhaps you, my dear, are going too slow!" Jack had never seen her like this before. He had never seen a girl be so forceful and strong-minded. He liked it. "After all I am the captain."

"Ha! Captain of what may I ask? A crew of two people! Not really much to brag about Jack." Elizabeth said as she continued to raise the sail with Jack. They had to get it up if they wanted to get out of Port Royal harbor by daybreak.

"Well aren't we feisty…" Jack said seductively, raising his eyebrows.

Elizabeth let out a shocked gasp and let go of the rope, causing Jack to almost topple on top of her, trying to keep the sail down with all his weight. Elizabeth sauntered away from him and leaned on her hands against the rail.

"So captain, how's that sail coming?" Elizabeth smirked at him while he trying to keep the sail positioned where it was.

"You got me," Jack stated, admitting his defeat, "now will you please help?"

"I don't know, lets see…" Elizabeth teased pacing back and forth on the deck.

"Lizzie…" Jack warned, annoyed how his plan had come back to bit him in the…

"Alright then." She said with a smile as she moved to stand across from him, and grasped the rope.

"Darling, I thought we agreed that this was more fun." Jack motioned with one of his hands towards his side, now being able to let go of the rope a bit.

She rolled her eyes in response and helped him secure the sail. "There, all done." She finally said when they were finished, satisfied that they had finished .

"Aye." Jack sighed, and took the helm. _Man it felt good to be on a ship again_. The sea was where he felt most comfortable, with the oceans waves crashing beneath him.

Elizabeth smiled at Jack. He looked so happy to be back. This was where he truly belongs. The sea was his…

"Welcome home, Jack." Elizabeth said just loud enough for him to make out above the waves. Then sun had just started to rise above the water line.

"You too love." Jack grinned at her knowingly.

* * *

Barbossa was up on deck after a long nap. He was surprised to see Jack on deck also. _Didn't I maroon him?_

"Jack Sparrow. What in god's name are you doing on _my_ ship?" He asked confused. He hadn't seen this man in years.

"What? Hector, you know very well she's mine, I not going to fight you about this again." Jack groaned. _Why won't these people just leave me alone? Can't they tell when they're not wanted?_

"Fight? When have I ever fought you?" A confused Barbossa asked

"I…"Jack didn't really remember a fight either

"Captain, any news about Miss Elizabeth?" Gibbs rushed up, interrupting them. It was good to see his captain talking again.

"No." Jack eyes said it all. He was hurting so much. The way his eyes didn't shine anymore, the little light gone out of them.

"Elizabeth? Who the blazes name is Elizabeth?"

Jack and Gibbs stared at him in disbelief.

"Um…Hector… Did you hit your head or something?" Jack asked, also confused. _Who the bloody hell on this ship doesn't know who Elizabeth is?_

"No." Hector stated, shaking his head a bit.

Gibbs gave Barbossa an other questioning stare and then turned back to his captain

"I just thought that maybe you might be regretting the whole thing about Turner , what with Elizabeth gone too and…"

"Turner?" Barbossa questioned. "I thought I killed him!"

"No, not Bootstrap. Will, his son. And you know old bootstraps alive don't ya?" Gibbs gave Barbossa a funny look. Maybe it was old age already…

"Turner's alive? Wait until the crew hears about this. The curse won't be upon us much longer." Barbossa exclaimed with a rotten smile.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" Jack said aggravated. _And I thought Turner was stupid!_

"Well, you see Jack, there is a curse…"

"I know all about the bloody curse!"

"Well then, will you help me find him then, mate? We can share the treasure and then I can finally eat a whole bushel of apples?"

Jack backed away slowly and whispered in Gibbs's ear. "Crackpot…….run."

And then they both proceeded to run away from a very stunned and confused immortal.

* * *

Jack had been at the helm of The Interceptor since sunrise, talking to her every once in a while, but mostly just enjoying the feeling of steering a ship again.

Elizabeth had preoccupied herself by searching the ship a bit for things they might need. She found one cabin and in it was the only bed. _I guess we'll be fighting over that as_ _well,_ Elizabeth thought causing a smile on her lips. She loved their little banters.

In the cabin she also found some maps and a drawer full of clothes. Clothes…Her dress was going to get ruined if she continued to where it around the ship. What if there was a storm? Wouldn't she need her dress if they made port somewhere?

Without another thought, Elizabeth threw off her dress and put on the breaches, shirt, vest, and boots she found. Elizabeth looked down at her self. She looked like a man except for the necklace that still hung around her neck. It was surprisingly comfortable and she like the way if felt. _This will be so much easier to work in._

Before leaving the cabin, Elizabeth grabbed the maps and shoved a hat she had found on her head. She then shut the door, leaving her dress piled neatly on the bed. _I wonder what Jack will think?_

Her question was soon answered. When she walked out of the cabin, Jack was startled. So there was a stowaway on board. He had thought he had heard someone below deck.

"Oy! You don't have permission to be aboard here mate." Jack shouted across the deck, not being about to leave the helm.

Elizabeth looked up in surprise, showing him her face

"Excuse me Captain Sparrow, I believe I do. And since when am I a man?" Elizabeth teased.

"Apologies darling. It's just that, that outfit really doesn't flatter you at all. It should be a dress or nothing." Elizabeth blushed again at his comment. " What happened to your dress anyways?"

"I left it in the cabin. I just though it would be better to save it for if we make port, that way I actually have something to wear." Elizabeth explained.

"Well I assure you Lizzie, that won't be necessary. Besides, I rather prefer the second option." Jack smiled roguishly at her.

Elizabeth pretended to be appalled, even though she really wasn't. She liked it when Jack tried to sweet talk her.

"So Captain Sparrow, where are we headed?" Elizabeth said as she made her way towards the helm carrying the maps.

"I don't know Lizzie. Why don't you tell me?" Jack said as he held up his compass by its string.

"You know Jack, I fail at navigating. I can't even read a map properly!" Elizabeth tried to shove the compass back in Jack's hand, but he wouldn't take it.

"What is it that you want most?" He asked staring at her attentively.

"I…Excuse me?" Jack just nodded at her to answer.

She had to think… freedom. Yes that was it. She wanted to do what she wanted. "Freedom." She uttered back to him in almost a whisper

"Aye. And where do you want to go?" Jack questioned her again

"I…I don't know…"

"Open the compass."

Elizabeth quickly did what he said and watched in disbelief as the compass pointed in a clear direction straight ahead of her.

"Which way?"

"That way." Elizabeth said pointing ahead of her, almost hitting Jack who was in the way.

"Hold on." Jack said as he tied the helm off and grabbed a map from her arms, moving to the left to examine it on the floor.

"Looks like Santo Domingo is where you want to go. Lovely town, I once…"

"Wait. It's changed!" Elizabeth glanced down at the arrow. It was now rotated to the left.

"To where? Which direction?"

Elizabeth pointed to the left of her, almost knocking Jack out once more.

"Oh! Then it's Guiana then. Really exotic, not many people there. I'll have to tell you of this one time where I meet this tribe there and they made me..." Jack rambled as he stood up and went to the starboard side of the ship, carrying the map with him.

"Not again…"Elizabeth cut him off again.

"Where does it point this time love?" Jack said completely oblivious to the fact that the arrow was following him.

"To my right." Elizabeth sighed, annoyed with the stupid compass. _Make up your mind!_

"Tortuga it is then." Jack said with a smile.

"Why is that to my right?" Elizabeth asked confused. She thought that town was south.

"No. But clearly you can't decide where you want to go, so I'll decide. Tortuga is best town in the Caribbean."

"Oh sure. If you like filthy, drunken pirates and their whores." Elizabeth said in disgust

"Like I said darling, best town in the Caribbean."

* * *

Will had been rowing for so long, he felt like his fingers were going to fall off. And all he could think about was Elizabeth, and how she left him for that pirate.

But not just recently, she left him a long time ago… before they ever got to know each other well.

Will had been have very strange new memories since he was marooned. Maybe it was the heat?

Oh, well, all he knew was that in everyone Elizabeth was with Jack. All of them. Some of the memories where even when they were still in Port Royal.

And then there was this new one. Jack and Elizabeth were on a ship, and he was spying on them, and he saw them kissing. And not like a modest peak on the cheek, they were full out kissing. And in his memory, he had never kissed Elizabeth before.

He still hasn't…has he?

* * *

Will had decided to venture out. He had heard some noise below so he thought it might be o.k. to come up on deck. They would find out eventually wouldn't they? And it was getting really hot down below.

Carefully and quietly, Will made his way up the stairs, just enough so that he could see what was happening on deck.

There they were, enjoying a nice meal on the steps on the ship, leaning against each other. What would they do if he waited any longer?

Gathering all of his courage, and taking his sweet time while doing it, Will ascended the rest of the steps. Then he saw them…on top of each other…kissing. And that's not all he saw.

* * *

**Please review if you read**.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N- Random fact, I was eating a plum when I wrote this part. You'll know why…

Disclaimer- I do not own Jack, Lizzie,…the whelp, or the other character in this story. I do own the shell medallion Lizzie is **still **wearing, the story line, and the tickle fight…hehehe

* * *

It was noon and both Elizabeth and Jack had started to feel hungry, so they decided to search the galley for some food.

"There's nothing in here." Jack said, digging through the cabinet below him.

"Oh, come on Jack. Yes there is. I found fruit, a loaf of bread, cheese, tack, dried meat, there's tons of food!" Said Elizabeth poking her head out from behind the closet door.

"I didn't say it was food I was necessarily looking for, now did I?" Jack said, closing his drawer in disappointment.

"Well what did you expect Jack? A hull full of rum? It is then Navy were talking about." Elizabeth gathered up the food and began to walk out.

"Aye. No wonder they're always so cross. They don't have any bloomin' rum!" Jack yelled aggravated as the walked up the stairs from the galley onto the deck.

"Well, if you'd like I could go check in the cabin and see if they have any brandy?" Elizabeth offered.

"Na, not much of a brandy fan meself." Jack cringed

Elizabeth laughed at Jack's disgusted face. "Yes well I've never been much of a fan of rum." She insisted

"We'll see about that..." Jack said sitting down on the step and patting the place next to him, telling Elizabeth to sit down.

She did, and then she took out an orange and gave a plum to Jack. "Thank ye Lizzie." Elizabeth smiled and then began to peal away the outside of her fruit. Jack just took a bite of his.

"I love plums." Elizabeth said candidly.

Jack chuckled and rolled his eyes, handing his plum over to her, and taking her orange instead.

Elizabeth bit her lip. "No, you don't have too…"

"Just eat, 'lizabeth'." Jack said pretending to be annoyed by her.

"Aye-aye Captain!" Elizabeth joked, straightening her back and saluting him.

This made Jack crack up. Seeing Elizabeth salute him in men's clothes, she looked like a regular scallywag. Elizabeth joined in and laughed along too.

"Did you just snort?" Jack said, still laughing.

"No…I didn't." Elizabeth said embarrassed. This made Jack stop.

"No, no. I think it's cute!" Jack said trying to make it all better.

"Sure you do." Elizabeth turned away from him, upset that he had laughed at her.

"Aye, I do." Jack said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling he into him until her head rested on his shoulder.

They continued to eat their fruits in silence for a while. But before long, they couldn't take it. They couldn't just not talk. Besides, who knew how long it would take to get to Tortuga.

"Listen Lizzie, I'm…" Jack couldn't say it. He had never said he was sorry for anything. This would be really hard for him.

Elizabeth, trying to lighten the mood, poked Jack in the ribs and ran away.

"Hey!" Jack said chasing after her, thankful.

Elizabeth laughed as Jack ran after her around the ship and he laughed along with her. She tried to hide behind the main mast and use it to her advantage, but Jack found her and pulled her to him.

"Gotcha!" Jack said from behind her, tickled her sides, making her squeal uncontrollably.

"Ha ha ha! Jack, stop! AH! Hahaha!" Jack continued to tickle her until she wiggled loose and started to attach him.

"Stop! Hahaha! No Lizzie, really! Hahaha!" Jack laughed with her. He couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun.

Then a sudden jolt in the ship knocked them over.

"Jack, did you forget to tie of the wheel?" Elizabeth asked the man leaning over her

They both started laughing again. He had forgotten to tie it up again. They must have hit a reef.

"Must have love." He smiled down at her.

Elizabeth looked down at her hand. She still had Jack's compass. Quickly, she flipped it open and to her surprise, it's arrow pointed at...

Jack stared at her in silence. Here was his chance. All he had to do was lean down and then…

But to his surprise his thoughts were cut off short when she kissed him, their mouths lingering on each other's, softly at first, then more passionate. To Elizabeth, it felt like it wasn't their first kiss. Something about it seemed strangely familiar.

Then they heard the sound of clanging boots walking toward them, causing them to break apart. But it wasn't two boots they saw. One of them was a crab leg.

"Sorry to interrupt." Jones spat down at them, his men pulling them to their feet.

Jack and Elizabeth tried to pull loose, but couldn't.

"Well if it isn't old squid face himself?" Jack taunted.

"Ha ha ha." Davy Jones fake laughed, causing the others to too. "Very clever Sparrow."

Elizabeth didn't no what it was, but she knew this man, if you could call him a man. She had know instantly that it was Davy Jones and what he was capable of…but why?

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've been formally introduced." Davy said walking over to Elizabeth with his crab leg.

"What are you doing here?" Jack said, ignoring Jones last statement, trying to draw Davy's attention from Elizabeth.

"Hold on Sparrow. You haven't introduced me to your friend yet." Davy smiled a hideous smile at Elizabeth, making her cower a bit.

"Lizzie Starling." Jack said without a flinch. He figured it wasn't too much of a lie. Starlings and swans are both birds that start with s… So is Sparrow…

"Awe, Starling and Sparrow. And where may I ask were you two Love Birds off to?" Davy Jones snickered, and his crew laughed at his not so funny joke.

Jack had lied about her name, why? To protect her? What made him think that she needed protecting?

Elizabeth stamped on her captor's foot, and he loosed his grip just enough for her to get away. She picked up Jack's sword that lay on the ground. The whole fish crew laughed at her.

"On guard, Jones!" Elizabeth shouted, humiliating herself.

"What will it be, Sparrow? Do what I want you to, or see you little bird fly no more?" Davy didn't turn his attention from Jack, as his men snuck up behind Elizabeth and gagged her.

Jack stared at Elizabeth, his heart breaking. Elizabeth struggled, trying to get away, and mumbling against her gag.

After a long moment, Jack turned to face him.

"What is it you want, Jones?" Jack his eyebrows knitted together with worry.

"Wise choice Sparrow. We wouldn't want anyone getting hurt, now would we?" Jack scanned the crew and noticed one of the crew was standing off to the side of the group. He didn't look like he agreed with any of it.

"Bill Turner?" Jack asked, confused. "I thought you were dead?"

Elizabeth's eyes opened wide. Will's father… he's alive?

That's when Elizabeth noticed him. Will, crouched by the stairs hiding. So they did have a stowaway… What on earth must this be like? To see your father whom you thought was dead?

"Sadly, no." Bootstrap replied, looking down at the floor. It was because Jack he was even thrown to the bottom of the ocean. It was because he had stood up for Jack.

"Hey, mate, I never got to th…" Jack started.

"Enough of this!" Davy Jones yelled. "Old friends can catch up later. Right now, Sparrow, I need you to do something for me."

"What, like a favor?" Jack asked hopefully

"I'd call more like an ultimatum." Jones snarled

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this Sparrow. I know that in the future the brethren will wish to release Calypso. Make sure it doesn't happen. Or else." Dav snarled, thrashing his tentacles as he turned to glare at Elizabeth.

"Or else what?" Jack sent a concerned look over at Elizabeth.

"Or else The Pearl and Miss Starling here are as good as gone." Davy Jones came closer to Jack, his tentacles wiggling menacingly.

"What's in it for me?" Jack said, pretending not to be affected.

Davy Jones took out his pipe and puffed out some smoke through his tentacles.

Elizabeth couldn't stop staring at Will. _Why doesn't he do something?_

"I just told you Sparrow. If you don't, you might as well kiss your girl and ship goodbye!" Jones growled, stepping even closer to Jack, staring down at him.

"Well that's not much incentive for me to do so then, now is it?" Jack said, hiding how he felt. Boy was he going to get hell about this from Lizzie later.

This brought Elizabeth's attention back to Jack. So he really doesn't care. She was hurt. More hurt then she had ever been before. More hurt then when Will had left the garden. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she stared at him. _Maybe Will isn't that bad after all…_

Davy Jones looked from Jack to Elizabeth. Jack was doing a really good job at pretending. Jones couldn't help but think he didn't care for Elizabeth.

"Well then…my debt with you will be dropped." Davy Jones spurted out in between puffs of smoke. " Only if you keep your end of the deal." Davy looked over at his crew, noticing a young man hiding by the stairs.

"Well, men. What do you think? Shall the infamous Jack Sparrow fulfill his task or shall he be sinking to the depths of the black oblivion?" And with that, his crew disappeared into the sides of the ship, Elizabeth dropping to the floor with a thud.

"Might want to watch out Sparrow." Jones snarled, glancing towards the stairs. " You've got competition." Then he disappeared. Jack didn't even bother to look and see who Jones was talking about.

"Lizzie! Are you all right?" Jack said, rushing to her and kneeling next to her, trying to remove her gag. But she pushed his hands away and got up, ripping off her gag herself.

Jack followed, only to get slapped on the cheek.

"Oy! What the hell was that for?" Jack said rubbing his swollen cheek. He knew she was going to be angry, but not that angry!

"You know exactly what it was for." Elizabeth said through her teeth, marching for the stairs toward Will.

"Oh, come on love, I was only…" Jack said following her until he saw where she was going. _He_ was on the ship. The _Whelp _was on the ship. **Ya, he is defiantly a big problem.**

"Hello Jack." Will said haughtily. He had witnessed everything, and he rather thought things were in his favor now. His father was alive, and Elizabeth clearly hated Jack. What a perfect day!

"Will!" Elizabeth rushed to her friend and gave him a hug. Yes, maybe Will was the better option.

"Hello Elizabeth." Will said, now not afraid to use her first name. It didn't matter now did it? None of propriety did. Clearly, when he saw her kiss a pirate. That made Will jealous, a lot. Maybe if this keeps up though…

Jack glared at him. Now he uses her first name, right when it was at the least advantage to him. Elizabeth was really pissed off, and what could he do about it, when she was all over some other man…

"When did you get here?" Elizabeth asked, pretending to be excited. Maybe getting Jack a _little_ jealous would be a good payback.

"Oh, well…I've been here all along." Will confessed

"Stowaway…"Jack muttered under his breath

"I'm so glad you're here!" Elizabeth exaggerated, giving Will another hug, making Jack roll his eyes. "But you could have just asked! I wanted you to come!"

Will couldn't believe it. It did actually seem as if she wanted him to be there. And she was completely ignoring the man next to him, who happened to be much handsomer.

"Oh brother…"Jack said trying to hid how jealous he was. She was his Lizzie, not anyone else's. He didn't care how much longer they have known each other. Can she just forget this afternoon like that?

"What was that Jack? I couldn't understand you when you're mumbling." Elizabeth leaned over Will's shoulder.

Jack glared at them and then barged into the cabin. Then a second later Elizabeth and Will watched as the door flew open again. Jack stomped over to them angrily, holding something in his hand.

"Here." Jack shoved Elizabeth's dress into her hand and then stormed back towards the cabin. Before he made it to the, he yelled back at her. " And I'm taking the bed!" And then slammed the door in their faces.

So maybe she had made him more upset than she wanted too…

* * *

Jack Sparrow didn't know why she had left him. Everything was so good between them. Everything was so right, and then she had to go disappear into the past and go about changing everything.

Jack wanted her back badly. She had been gone for almost a week, and it was starting to wear on him. His crew could tell that something was up. For days now he has been slaving away at the helm, not talking to anyone. And when he was supposed to be sleeping, Jack would just study his charts and drink his rum.

And he would think about his Lizzie.

She had been up to some stuff in the past, he knew. He remembered it all. Their picnic and the tickle fight. Then of course his new debt with squidy.

He had to do something about his debt. If not, Jones would surely have his head. That was why he was continuing on course to Shipwreck Cove, even though he didn't feel like going anywhere right now, not even Tortuga.

But it didn't make any difference. _Lizzie has her own plans. She holds all of our futures in her tiny hands right now. _

As he knew, evidence to the fact that he had been talking to Barbossa the other day about Elizabeth and Will and he hadn't known whom either of them were. Neither did he have any bullet holes in his chest anymore. Jack had never shot Barbossa. And Barbossa was still immortal.

He also knew thanks to a memory he had recently of Will and Elizabeth.

They were together, right in front of his eyes. She was giving Will an extremely long hug, and pretending like he didn't exist!

Maybe that was why she went back in time, because she regretted it all. She regretted us. She wants Will, so she made it as though we never happened.

Then why did she kiss me in the past? Jack wondered


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N**- Thanks to Kiki148 for reviewing this chapter. I feel as if I'm losing readers…Anyway here's a new chapter. I hope you all like it, and I hope you will PLEASE continue reading. I hope this story isn't boring you that much…

Thanks all, Lizzylove

As they walked it to "The Drunken Wench" Elizabeth was astounded by the noise and smell of the place. She had never been to Tortuga before, at least she didn't think so, and she wasn't used to this kind of atmosphere. She would have been fine if Jack was with her, but he ran off as soon as they made port, leaving Will and Elizabeth to fend for themselves in a town they had never been to. Elizabeth felt unsafe, being so close to these intoxicated pirates, and frightened because she didn't really know how to defend herself. Will was with her though so that made her feel a bit better, although he had little experience with this kind of thing either.

Trudging through the crowd, Will reached the bar and asked for two drinks. Then, dodging blows from a large fight, they made their way towards a small table in the back corner.

Elizabeth sat down uncomfortably across from Will. _I should be with Jack. What am I doing? Why did I have to go and make him jealous? _

Will felt the awkwardness too. He had just seen her kiss Jack not to long ago…

Elizabeth glanced around, observing her setting, trying to avoid Will's eyes.

"Elizabeth…"Will started, not really knowing what to say.

"mmm?" Elizabeth turned her head back to face him. _This is wrong…. where is Jack?_

Will looked into his mug. Maybe he was being a fool to think that she could love him back…maybe she was happy with…

"Elizabeth, um…do you want to dance?" Will rambled pointing to a group of people to the right who were dancing to a jig.

"Will, I don't know…"_This is wrong…so wrong…_

"Come on, it will be fun." Will insisted taking her hand and leading her to the others who had started to dance.

Elizabeth glanced at the other couples. All of them were drunk, covering in dirt, and having a completely wonderful time. _What's wrong with you Elizabeth?_

Once they reached the "dance floor" Will placed his hand on her waist , hers on his shoulder and led Elizabeth in step. Elizabeth was surprised at how well he danced. It seemed as though he had practiced…

_Maybe he did…_ Elizabeth thought sadly._ Why does Will have to be such a nice guy?_

As they were turning in circles Elizabeth saw another couple join them on the dance floor. The woman had fake blonde hair and kohl around her eyes as well as a lot of other make-up. She also wore a very revealing dirty yellow dress.

Elizabeth could tell that the woman was a wench that worked at the establishment and it disgusted her. She didn't know how someone could be like that. Looking at the lady's clothes Elizabeth glanced down at her own. She wore the same dress she had on when they left Port Royal. The dress made her seem VERY out of place.

After examining the wench, Elizabeth looked over Will's shoulder to get a good look at the dark-haired man with kohl around his eyes and a red bandana that the woman was so desperately clinging to.

"What is it Elizabeth?" Will said seeing the upset look on her face.

"Nothing. I'm just a little tired." Elizabeth fibbed, hiding her face behind Will's head, trying to not let Jack see her.

"Are you sure? We could sit down." Will tried to look over his shoulder but Elizabeth grabbed his faces keeping his attention.

"No! It's fine." Elizabeth uttered. As she continued to stare at the couple Will turned her around in circles. There was Jack, whispering into another girl's ear and kissing her cheek. Then she locked eyes with him. Elizabeth quickly looked away, afraid of what Jack might say to her. She then became clumsy from being distracted and stepped on Will's foot.

"Oh Will! I'm so sorry…"Elizabeth said finally turning her attention back to her partner.

"No… it fine…really." Will hissed through his teeth in pain, clutching his toe.

"Looks like the lass needs someone who can actually knows how to lead…" Elizabeth heard Jack mutter to the wench in his arms, followed by the girls giggle.

Elizabeth was very upset. How dare he toy with her emotions? And the hurt Will constantly in the process!

"Come on Will," Elizabeth said as she shot Jack a short glare and the wrapped her arms around Will's waist to help him walk, "Lets get out of her."

"No…" Will moaned. "I'm fine. I can make it to my room upstairs by myself. You stay here and have a good time."

"But Will…"Elizabeth protested, looking over to Jack who was eavesdropping on their conversation and then quickly turned his attention to the girl he was dancing with again.

"No Elizabeth. I insist." Will weakly smiled at her and began to limp towards the stairs.

_Great_ Elizabeth thought. _Now I'm going to have to suffer through this by myself_

"uh-hum."

Elizabeth turned around to see what scallywag had approached her and came face to face with Jack. Literally, for he had been standing just behind her.

"Well aren't we friendly?" Jack smirked arrogantly.

Elizabeth didn't want to deal with this. She had to leave; she couldn't stand to talk to him after she had seen him with that…

"Where are you going?" Jack asked confused at her sudden departure.

"Good-bye Jack." Elizabeth said not turning back but waving her hand violently as she left the pub.

Elizabeth didn't look back, she just keep walking. She had to get as far away from this awful situation she had put herself in. She had left Port Royal to be with Jack, she knew that now. And she knew now also that it had been a waste. Jack could never stay faithful to her. That's not the kind of man was. **He was freedom**, in ever sense of the word; leaving and going anywhere he wanted, whenever he wanted; belonging only to the sea; living with no rules or regulations.

**And she wanted freedom**.

"Lizzie!" Elizabeth turned her face to see Jack coming after her. _No. I will not fall for you again. It's over. It would have never worked out between us._

"Wait! Slow down love!" Jack called to her and quickened his pace when he saw her moving faster away from him**. **

_Don't you dare turn around Elizabeth. You'll regret it!_ She continuously repeated to herself as she began to full out run, hearing him call to her over and over.

And that's when it happened. Just as Elizabeth was about to turn onto the next street two large men grabbed her arms from behind and pulled her into an alley.

"Ello Missy." The blond man said as he pinned her to a wall giving her a crude smile and looking her up and down. His hair was grungy with mud and there was alcohol on his breath.

Elizabeth tried to scream to Jack, but they the other man gagged her with his hand.

"We promise we won't hurt you if you give us what we want." The man was a tall, muscle black man covered every inch in tattoos and towered over her menacingly.

She struggled against the blond man's hold, trying to get away.

"Come on love. Stop fighting. There's no one that's gonna hear you, or care for that matter." He laughed and then kissed her forcibly. As the man kissed her Elizabeth was able to wriggle one hand lose and slapped him across his jawbone with all of her might, knocking him to the ground, temporarily unconscious.

Using this to her advantage Elizabeth ran towards the entrance to the alley trying to make an escape and yelled to Jack. But the black man was to fast.

He had her back in the same position almost instantly only this time the man was more frightening.

"I'm not as nice as my friend, sweetie. I'm not promising you I won't hurt you." He growled with a heavy accent pressing his body against her as Elizabeth turned her head away from him.

The man grabbed her face and made her look at him again. " This is for my friend…" he said violently raising his arm as about to slap her.

"That's not very nice mate."

Jack had his pistol loaded and pointed directly at the man's head.

"What's your problem? Do you want in or something?" The tattooed man implied crudely.

"Step aside." Jack glanced at Elizabeth helpless in the giant man's grasp and cocked his pistol.

"Wow mate, really. I'm willing to share." The man looked Elizabeth up and down like his friend had moments before.

"Leave…. Now." Jack said so in a tone so deathly serious that the man had no choice but to leave.

After scaring the man off, Jack rushed to Elizabeth who had fallen.

"Thank God Lizzie." Jack crouched before her crumbled form, pulling her up and into an embrace. "I thought I was too late." He said sincerely.

She couldn't believe it. Moments ago he had been in the arms of another woman and now he was worrying about her safety?

Elizabeth pulled back slowly, and loosened herself from his arms. She then began to walk away again.

"Liz?" Jack asked again confused, catching up with her quickly. "Didn't you learn from last time?" Jack said grabbing onto her wrist, trying to make her stay with him.

"I have to be going back." She said trying to keep the emotion from her voice.

"Back to dear William I presume." Jack mumbled bitterly.

"Yes." Elizabeth said stubbornly still playing he game to make him jealous like she was.

Jack groaned and rolled his eyes, still refusing to let go of Elizabeth's wrist.

"And I presume you to want to be getting back to your lady as well." Elizabeth looked down at her feet, sadness clear in her eyes.

"Dammit Lizzie!" Jack exclaimed frustrated. He stopped her from walking any farther.

"Why are we doing this!" Jack pulled her towards him and kissed her passionately, and once they had stopped refused to let her go.

"Jack, really…"Elizabeth said flustered looking around to see if anyone had seen them.

Jack kissed her mouth again wrapping his arms tighter around her, refusing to give into her protests knowing that it was all a charade.

Elizabeth sighed a laid her head on his chest and inhaled his scent. It was comforting to her. She was at home…**and she had her freedom**.

* * *

There it was, Shipwreck Cove, and his Lizzie was still missing. It had taken them weeks to reach the cove and still Elizabeth was nowhere to be found.

Jack was miserable. No one dared to bother him. They were afraid that he would have them keelhauled he was in such a foul mood.

He knew where she was and what she was doing, of course from his "memories". But why had she gone in the past anyway? So that he could be put into an endless depression, because that's what it seems like.

Once they arrived Jack helped pull the ship into port and then left immediately after. This surprised the crew, surprised them that he actually come out of his cabin that is.

Jack knew what he had to do, to make sure that Calypso wasn't set free. This was going to be difficult seeing as that was their only other option was fighting, and he knew pirates never fight a fight that they can work their way out of.

Climbing the stairs to the meeting room, Jack kept thinking of plans. Then he arrived at the meeting hall. It was packed, pirates and thieves from around the world in all different shapes and sizes.

There were six swords plunged into the globe in the corner of the room. _Six…Six…_ Jack thought. _Sao Feng, me,_ _Oh and Barbossa…oops…oh well._

Jack thrust his sword into the globe and took his place at the table. _Well this should be easier. Now who are we still missing…_

* * *

Will had been paddling about for quite some time now. He hadn't seen any other ships and he was slowly but surely running out of food and water.

Just then, Will saw another ship on the horizon. Well if you could call it that. It was about the same size as his, a dingy with no sail.

* * *

Looking around Jack nodded at each of the pirate lords counting them in his head, earning withering stares in every direction.

_Now lets see Ammad, Ching, Chevalle, Jocard, Sumbhajee, Villanueva,…six…oh and um Me!_

Just then a large crash in the hall was heard as pirate guards fell to the ground and in walked Will Turner and…..

"Hello boys." James said staring at Jack and his crew. "Missed me?"

* * *

As Jack and Elizabeth walked together back to the Drunken Wench, Jacks arm draped around her shoulder. Elizabeth still a bit affected by the days turn of events. Who knew so much could happen in one day?

But once they reached the door, an unwelcome guest greeted them.

"There you are Jackie! I was wondering where you ran off to." It was the wench from before. She glared at Elizabeth and pushed her out of the way, taking her place under Jack's arm.

"Giselle…" Jack protested putting his arm down and then giving Elizabeth an innocent puppy dog look.

"Oh, I see. You're with her now…"Giselle sneered. "Don't worry Jack. I'll still be here when you're finished with her."

Elizabeth looked back at Jack hurt, and continued into the pub and towards her cabin.

"Oh bugger…" Jack complained and followed after her as she went up the steps. "Darling really…"

"What Jack? I can't take this! I don't want to be one of the many." Elizabeth stared at his eyes, those chocolate brown orbs that always saw into her soul. Her eyes began to well up.

"Lizzie I…"

"Jack no. It's not going to work, don't you see? Fate is against us. It will never work out between us, not even if we want it to."

"Really Lizzie, this is stupid, you don't know what your talking about." Jack pleaded with her in his eyes, taking her hands in his. "What happened down there with Giselle was nothing. I can explain…"

"No Jack, I can't do this. I can't live like this." Elizabeth cried with her last words knowing it was true. She couldn't live thinking that one day Jack would just up and leave her.

"Elizabeth please…" Jack said seriously, as serious as when he almost shot the man in the alley.

"Have fun Jack. I'm sure Giselle will be waiting for you when you go back down stairs." Elizabeth choked out through tears, going inside her cabin and leaving Jack standing alone in the hall.

She leaned against the door, wondering if she had really done the right thing. _Maybe she was overreacting. They never really said they were together or anything. It had only been a few weeks since they met._

Then she heard a faint, distinct whisper from behind her door.

"I just wanted to get you a little bit jealous like you did to me. Bloody hell Lizabeth, why do you always have to blow things out of proportion…"Jack whispered through heavy emotion, resting his palm against the door and shaking his head.

Elizabeth slowly opened the door again to face the broken down pirate outside her door. She smiled faintly and then gave him a hug and pecked him on the cheek. _Its o.k., everything is o.k. _

Jack smiled back at her."Night love." Jack said before her kissed her on the forehead and began to walk down the hall. "Oh, and I forgive you too." Jack smirked at her and ran up the next flight of steps to his cabin.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N- Thanks to the reviewers of Chapter 14, Pirate-on-Fleet-Street, Kiki148, Sarah and Lozza, and KissOfDeathJE. Your feedback means a lot to me. I would especially like to thank my two brand new readers too. Thanks Sarah and Lozza and KissOfDeathJE. Hugs to all!!! I just want to say sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I've been really busy lately and haven't had much free time to write. Hope you enjoy this chapter and keep reading and reviewing!

* * *

"Lizzie! Lizzie! Wake up!" Jack shouted, shaking her out of her troubled sleep.

He had heard her screaming and had could running into her cabin, afraid that another attacker had come. But then he had found her tossing and turning, hugging onto her pillow for dear life. He was worried. He hated to see her in pain, evidence to the fact he had let his guard down that night. He had never done that with any other woman. With other women he was Captain Jack Sparrow, fearless pirate captain, and buccaneer. But with her…he was just Jack.

"Lizzie darling, its okay. Please wake up…"Jack pleaded, shaking her by the shoulders again, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Jack!" Elizabeth screamed waking up with a start.

"What?" Jack cried astonished.

"Jack, oh I was so frightened!" She squealed, burying her head into his chest.

"Shush, it's fine now. Your safe…"

"Jack, I'm so scared. They were here, the men from the alley. They just kept coming at me, and no one was there to stop them. You weren't there…"Elizabeth sobbed

"I'm here now aren't I? I won't let that happen to you, not again. I promise." Jack said into her hair, and then kissed the top of her head.

Feeling that she was calming down, Jack made a move to leave, standing up from her bed.

"Jack, don't leave….please." Elizabeth begged when Jack's hand was on the doorknob.

Turning around, Jack saw that she meant it. She was afraid to be alone, she was frightened, and she needed him.

"Fine."

Taking a chair from the corner of the Tortuga cabin, Jack moved it to sit next to the bed.

"Get some rest love. You'll need it for tomorrow." Jack stated holging onto her hand as she was sitting up, slightly confused why she hadn't lied down.

"Jack…um…are you sure you'll be comfortable…there…"Elizabeth said shyly. She desperately needed him. To feel his protection, or else she couldn't fall asleep.

"Oh…"Jack said looking into her eyes still glistening with tears. He couldn't take it. _If she trusts me that much, I will earn her trust_. "You know now that you mention it…"

Jack stood up from the chair and walked to the other side of the bed.

"You sure, Elizabeth…"Jack said nervously, he didn't want her to hate him.

Elizabeth only nodded in response and curled herself up in a ball, getting ready to sleep.

Pulling the covers up, Jack slipped off his boots, jacket, and effects and carefully climbed in.

Once he was in the bed, Elizabeth turned to face him, already asleep and rested her head on his chest. Jack put his arm around her.

Jack couldn't believe the innocence of it. There he was in a bed with the woman that he loved, just sleeping with her in his arms. And the funny thing was, he loved every second of it.

Tilting his head so that his chin rested on her hair, Jack let out a sigh. He was content in every way. He had Elizabeth, and the sea. What more could he ask for? His lost pearl was not as important as the woman sleeping peacefully in his arms.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked incredulously. This is probably Elizabeth's doing…_Man is she screwing things up here._.

"Well, Sao Feng failed to pass on his piece of eight to a successor and I found it so…" James said cockily.

"Get that scummy landlubber out of 'ere." A pirate with a scraggily gray beard yelled. "He's working for Beckett!"

"Actually," James retorted, "I'm retired."

"Ha! Once you've worked for the East India Trading Company, you never stop!" Mistress Ching shouted.

Jack glanced around nervously and noticed some other pirates, especially his crew looking at him. He had worked for them when he was a young lad. Had he ever stopped? Sure enough, he had made several deals with the lying bastard they were talking about in the past years. _I've got to prove them wrong_

"Then what is the whelp doing here?" Jack said with a grimace looking over at Will. "Didn't I just maroon you?"

"Yes, Jack. About that…that reminds me. I still need to thank you for your little favor." Will snarled across the table, leaning on it with his hands.

"Oh, no problem son. It was a pleasure." Jack said through his teeth.

"Forget about that nonsense. What are we suppose to do about him?" Chevalle said through his heavy French accent

"Does he have a piece of eight?" Ammad said from his throne.

James rolled his eyes at Will, hadn't he just said that? "Yes." He said rather annoyed, holding up the silk knot.

Jack rolled his eyes too. _Man, sometimes we pirates can be a rather slow lot. _

"So what? I say hang the code and hang the rules, just because he has a piece doesn't mean…" Summbajee's interpreter said

A loud bang and a puff of smoke and the interpreter was on the ground dead.

"The code is the law." Teague said from his balcony.

Jack shook his head, his father had to get himself involved with this.

"Fine!" Jack said, not wanting the meeting to last much longer, feeling a rum bottle in his cabin calling to him. "We have all discussed what we wish to do, what say you…Captain…Norrington." Jack grimaced at the title.

"We must fight. If we wish to win this battle, it is the only option."

"We could release Calypso?" Someone suggested in the back

"Oh, yeah, like that will work." James said sarcastically.

"Well if we are to follow the code." Villanueva argued. "that mean we must have a king to start a war."

"I call for a vote!" Jack said rushing things along.

After many moans and groans, the pirate lords proceeded to go down the line voting for themselves. Then it was Jack's turn.

"James Norrington."

Everyone was astonished.

"What?" Will asked, very confused. It was not like Jack Sparrow to not vote for himself.

"I've always been routing for you mate." Jack said to Norrington, ignoring Will as always.

* * *

Jack yawned. He couldn't remember when he had slept so well. It had been so peaceful.

Looking down, all Jack saw was a mess of golden hair. His Lizzie. She was still there. She hadn't left him. Actually she was still clinging to him rather tightly, one of her arms hugging him around his waist.

Jack was afraid to get up. What if she awoke? She looked so happy, lying therewith nothing to worry about…_Wait…No it can't be…I've never seen Elizabeth asleep… _

Shaking away the strange thought, Jack bent forward and kissed her on the crown of her head. She smelled like nothing he had ever smelt before. It was the perfect combination of sweet and bitter, between strong and soft.

Wiggling her head a bit, Elizabeth shifted still half asleep to face Jack.

"Good mornin' love. Pleasant dreams?"

Elizabeth smiled sweetly at him with her eyes still closed. "Very."

"Good." Jack leaned in to kiss her lightly on the lips. This was going to be a great day.

"How long did we sleep?" Elizabeth said after finally opening her eyes, noticing how light it was from behind the curtains of the two-story window.

"Looks about 11 o'clock if you ask me." Jack said leaning up on his elbows a bit.

"Oh, God. Great…Will will be wondering where I am…" Elizabeth said not realizing who she was talking to, sitting up in bed.

Jack sat up also, a bit hurt. "You were the one that was one of the many?" Jack sat on the edge of the bed and began to stand up.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry Jack, it's just I don't want him to find out the hard way."

"I understand Lizzie. I don't really like you worrying about him, but I understand." Jack mumbled, plopping back down on the bed.

"Jack, aren't you going to get dressed?" Elizabeth stared at him on the bed while she pulled on her tricorn hat.

"I was about to ask you the same question…" Jack said looking down at her a bit.

Elizabeth blushed. She hadn't realized she wearing just her nightgown. How embarrassing would it be for her to walk down the streets of Tortuga in just that… Jack seemed to read her mind.

"If you stroll about Tortuga like that, you might send the wrong message darling." Jack said sauntering over towards her. He himself was just wearing his shirt and breeches. _Very unpiraty of him…_

"Excuse me Captain Sparrow, I don't believe that is how you should talk to a lady!" Elizabeth pretended to be insulted

"Oh, I'm sorry. I don't see any present." Jack said looking around. Elizabeth gave in a much earned a slap on the arm." Well at least when you gallivanting around wearing stuff like that." Jack pointed to the hat on top of her head. "Not that I don't like hats love, but really. It's a wonder those men in that alley knew you were a girl in the first place!"

Elizabeth scoffed at him. "This comes from the man with the very long hair, bracelets, and a pink sash."

" My style is unique, while that just makes you look like some sort of eunuch." Elizabeth slapped him on the arm again.

"Really Lizzie. You hoping to give me a permanent bruise there?" Jack whined

"So what do you suggest Jack? It's not like I have much choice in the matter." She said ignoring how he was complaining about his arm.

"Yes, well you see there…"

The door to Elizabeth cabin was thrown open. There was Will. And there they were, Elizabeth in her nightgown, Jack just in his shirt and pants. The bed covers were rolled up and there was to imprints left in the mattress….

He had found out the hard way.

"Oh, so that's why you're not in your cabin…" Will said awkwardly

"Yes…" For once Jack was lost for words.

"You see Will, Jack was just…"She blurted out

"No…Don't bother. I see everything." That was all Will said before abandoning the room, leaving Jack and Elizabeth in ever-rare silence.

* * *

Will sat at the bar of the Drunken Wench saddened by what he had seen. Taking another sip of his rum, Will tried to drown his sorrows. After finishing it off with one more swig, Will tapped the table motioning to the waitress that he wanted more.

A barmaid with chocolate brown hair made her way over to him, holding a new pint of rum. She was exquisitely beautiful, golden-brown eyes that shown beneath her long, brunette bangs. She was not like other women in Tortuga. She wore a modest rose dress instead of a low cut one. For working in a pirate port, she seemed very innocent.

"Are you sure you'll be wanting another sir?" The girl asked, arching one of her eyebrows.

"Oh, I…" Will said distractedly, just now looking up from his mug.

"I'm just saying, I don't think it's the best idea with it being what…12 o'clock in the afternoon. That's a bit early don't you think Mr…." The woman sat down the rum on the back bar away from him, trying to make her position clear on the point.

"Um…Turner." Will mumbled out, still upset. The waitress was beautiful, but she wasn't Elizabeth.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Turner." She said with a smile. "My name's Nicole. Nicole Ellison."

Will only smiled in response. She seemed very nice but he didn't really feel much in the mood for talking right now.

"Tell you what Mr. Turner. If you leave here now instead of sulking around like you have been for the past hour or so, I will give all you can drink tonight when you come back. What do you say to that?" Nicole leaned on the table with her elbows, coming to his level.

"You'd really do that Miss Ellison? You'd risk getting fired?" Will asked not believing her.

"Of course I would, and I will if it gets you out of this bar for a while…" She stood up to full height again, placing her hands on her hips proudly.

"Alright, but only for a few hours…. What do you expect me to do anyway?" Will exclaimed standing up and grabbing his coat off the chair next to him.

"I expect, Mr. Turner, for you to have fun…" Nicole smirked at him and then turned around with a swish of her skirt.

* * *

Elizabeth sat in the corner of the pub having a cup of tea watching Will. She had parted with Jack after Will's appearance, distressed at what had happened. There was no way she could go running back to him now. He had seen her and Jack together, and she knew it had hurt him deeply.

Drinking from her mug, Elizabeth continued to stare after him in despair. How could she have done such a thing? To Jack and to Will? She had made him believe that she liked him when she was only using him to make Jack jealous…She had betrayed them both.

"Hello love." Jack said solemnly, sitting down across from her, breaking their silence.

All Elizabeth could do was smile in response.

"What's the matter Lizzie?" Jack said concerned, furrowing his brow.

"I'm a horrible person." Elizabeth glances down at her fingers clutching the mug as they began to shake.

"No…what makes you say that?" Jack reached out and stopped her hands from shaking, resting the palm of his hand on top of hers.

"I don't know…Maybe the fact that I hurt both my best friend and…" Elizabeth locked eyes with Jack's dark orbs and noticed that he was staring at her rather intently.

"I lied to Will and used him…I lied to you to…I can't believe I could do something like that to you."

Then suddenly Elizabeth remembered something that she hadn't before. _Jack…this is not the first time I have betrayed him. I know it isn't…I know this feeling…but why?_

"Liz…"Jack said softly, brushing back a strand of her hair.

"I'm just awful Jack. Just awful…" Taking a rush sip of her tea trying to calm herself down, Elizabeth looked back over to Will. But he was gone… and in his place was a young barmaid cleaning up his row of mugs.

"Hush…don't say that anymore…" Jack said trying to calm her down. "…Really Lizzie, I can't stand it when you're like this!" He added heatedly frustrated at her.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I shouldn't be acting like this. It's done. It's all in the past. I'll try to not think about it." Elizabeth gave Jack a weak smile and he in turn gave her one as well.

"Come on. We've got lots to do today." Jack said quickly standing up and grabbing her hand, pulling her towards the exit. He thought now was a good time to do something he had been planning for a while. It would help get all of the recent events off her mind.

"Like what?"

"I told you not to be worrying about getting your little dress dirty didn't I?" Jack smirked at her then pulled her through the doorway out into the open streets of Tortuga.


	16. Chapter 16

A/n- Thanks to my new readers! I hope you all keep reading and reviewing! Hope you all like this chapter

Lizzylove

* * *

"Bugger…" Jack remarked when he noticed who lay ahead on the other side of the sand barge. Beckett and Jones were both there waiting for them.

"This was your idea Jack." Will snarled at him as the continued walking toward the others.

"Was not!" Jack said innocently, trying to defend himself. "I just voted for the best candidate!"

James rolled his eyes at Jack's comment. He really didn't like that man. He had stolen Elizabeth away from him after all. If he had any choice, he would get rid of him.

Waiting for them was evil in it's two forms, Cutler Becket and Davy Jones.

"Well Jack, I must congratulate you. Bravo. I asked you to deliver the pirates…and here they are." Becket said in his usual cool, droll.

Will rolled his eyes. He not surprised by this new development. He knew there was some reason Jack was being all noble lately. Nor was Norrington surprised. He was Jack Sparrow; this sort of stuff is what he does best. He would do anything to save his own behind.

"I don't recall anything of the sort!" Jack protested

"I suppose then you don't remember your debt to me as well!" Davy Jones snarled at Jack from afar, causing Jack to cringe.

"That debt was settled a long time ago mate. Really, can't you all learn to forgive and forget?" said Jack feeling hate from every direction. Will and Norrington hated him because he betrayed them. Well, at least Norrington did. And Squidgili and Becket hated him, well, just because he's him!

"You know of which debt I mean…" Davy hinted to Jack, reminding him that he had to make sure Calypso wasn't released.

" I knew I should have never trusted you Sparrow. Clearly, your vote was merely for selfish reasons." Norrington muttered

"I hope your happy, Jack. Now I will never get to save my father." Will had been thinking, and now that he didn't have Elizabeth anymore, his father was his number one option. " You have betrayed us all. Including Elizabeth." Will said provoking Jack a bit. He knew that bringing up Elizabeth would have an effect on Jack, but he didn't expect what happened next.

Jack turned to face Will hurt, his eyebrows pulled together in worry, a deep frown set on his face. How could anyone say that? He loved Elizabeth and missed her terribly. Will had called him selfish! But the thing was, he was right….

"Oh, yes. How is Miss Swann these days?" Becket said, causing lots of awkward feelings on the other side of the barge.

"She is none of you business, Becket." Jack snarled, furious now. "I've changed my mind."

"What?" Jones spat.

"We're not giving up. I may have delivered you the pirates, but that doesn't mean that they are going to surrender without a fight. And neither am I." Jack said with a strong resolve, not leaving Beckets eyes.

"Sorry Sparrow. That appears to be the wrong choice. For if you do, you and your pirates will lose everything. What about your debt to Mr. Jones here? If you walk away now, I promise you that my help will be forever lost in this matter. Or what about your Elizabeth? You wouldn't want her to get hurt would you? And what about a certain Captain Teague, Jack? Yes, I know it all. You pirates can be foolish and fight and every single one of you will die. Or, you can surrender now Jack, and I promise you Elizabeth and your father will not be harmed." Will and Norrington shifted uncomfortably. They didn't like having their fates in the pirates hands.

"You know what Becket, you've got yourself a point there." Jack said sauntering over to the other side to stand directly in front of Becket. "But I could say the same about you. Cause I'm afraid we will fight, no matter how much you threaten us, and you will die mate. It doesn't matter if we could die, you see, cause the most important thing to a pirate is their freedom." Jack turned swiftly around and walked back to join his colleagues as they began to move towards The Pearl.

As they walked back, a big transformation happened in Will's mind. He now understood how Jack worked. Outside he may seem a selfish, filthy, worthless pirate, but on the inside, he was just as Elizabeth had said a while back, he was a good man. Will saw how deeply Jack felt for Elizabeth, and he no longer believed that Jack thought of her as any other girl. In some way, Will now respected Jack.

Once they reached the Pearl, Will let Jack board first, holding on to the rope for him. Jack thought this rather strange, seeing as minutes ago Will hated his guts. Jack however now respected Will as well. He had made him think of his priorities…Elizabeth.

"Now if you please, Mr. Turner," Jack said to him once they had all boarded, "Hoist the Colors."

* * *

"Jack!" Elizabeth giggled as he pulled her around a corner quickly, almost knocking over an old man seated on a barrel. " Jack! We almost knocked over that man!"

"Oh, he'll survive. And if he doesn't, it's about his time anyway!" Jack smirked at her still pulling her through the busy streets of Tortuga. It seemed so different to Elizabeth. It was almost like a regular town. Everything was calm and quiet. Well except for the merry couple running through its streets.

"Jack! Your heartless!" Elizabeth laughed and almost toppled over him when he made a sudden stop.

"Now you see, that is where **you** have proved me wrong." He gave her a crooked smile and then examined their surroundings, making sure that he was in the right place.

"Where are we?" Elizabeth said after giving him a soft, loving smile.

"Well, Lizzie," Jack said teasing her "we are now in Tortuga, a little pirate port just of …" Elizabeth slapped him playfully on his chest to make him stop

" You know what I mean Jack." Elizabeth said with her hands on her hips. She loved this.

"Oh! All right. We are at the finest little dress establishment here in Tortuga, Madame Jacqueline's. Come to think of it love, it's not just the best in Tortuga, it's the best in the Caribbean." Jack said wrapping his arm around her waist, and motioning with his other hand to the building right before them.

It was a pleasant sight for Elizabeth. The shop was like nothing she would have expected in a pirate port. It was a light brown brick building with a large display window, housing some of the prettiest dresses she had ever seen in her life. Even with all of the tea parties and balls she was forced to attend in Port Royal, never had she seen such exquisite detail and beauty in gowns as she did now.

"Oh, Jack." Elizabeth said touched and kissed him on the cheek. "Really, this is to much…"

"No." Jack smiled at her and put a loose lock of her hair behind her ear. "If your going to be my bonnie lass, I can't have people seeing you in stuff like that." Jack joked looking down at her filthy, blue dress that she had wore since the left Tortuga. Elizabeth grinned at Jacks remark. _His bonnie lass. His._ "Or, going back to wearing men's clothes." Jack muttered in her ear as they walked into the shop, his arm still around her waist.

Elizabeth laughed again. She felt so at ease with Jack. He really was doing his best to make her forget the unfortunate events that happened the night before and in the morning, and he was succeeding. Jack was her savior.

"Hello there, sir. Is there anything in particular I can help you two with?" A middle-aged woman with black hair and a large smile greeted them.

"Actually yes Miss." Jack stated to the woman properly and let go of Elizabeth's waist to talk to go over and talk the employee behind a desk.

Elizabeth tried to hold back her laughter. _Jack is acting like a gentleman, ha! It's probably just because she called him sir!_ Elizabeth was surprised when Jack proceeded to lean over the table and whisper in the women's ear.

" Jack?" Elizabeth said surprised. What on earth was he doing?

"Just a moment darling." Jack finished up his conversation and then sauntered back over to Elizabeth as the woman walked into the back of the shop.

"What was all that about?" Elizabeth said confused. She really didn't like him whispering in another woman's ear. Hadn't he come here for her?

"All what about?" Jack said animatedly, lifting his eyebrows.

"Jack Sparrow…" whispered Elizabeth annoyed.

"Hold on love." Jack said noticing the black haired woman he was talking to before had come back. He then went back over and talked to her again. Elizabeth was furious now.

"Alright, Amelia, it's settled then." Elizabeth saw Jack slip a large pouch of money from his sash and tossed it into her hand with a jingle. Jack smiled to himself now walking towards the door, straight past Elizabeth.

"What?" exclaimed Elizabeth.

"I'll be back in about an hour love. Don't worry. Oh, and Amelia, take care of my Lizzie." And with not another word, Jack was gone from Elizabeth's sight, quickly dashing down one of the many streets.

"I don't know what to say…" Elizabeth said stunned. Jack had acted in such a peculiar manner. Well, at least odder than usual.

"If you please, let me measure you." Amelia moved toward Elizabeth holding a tape measure.

"I don't understand…"

" I have strict instructions from Mr. Sparrow, and I'd hate to think what would happen if I didn't measure you."

"I see. Very well. I wouldn't want you getting in trouble with Jack." Elizabeth now understood. He had simply been telling the women that he was leaving and that she was to take care of Elizabeth's dresses.

After Amelia was done measuring, she went in the back once more to make sure they had dresses already made in Elizabeth's size. She then brought many gowns out and shooed Elizabeth into the dressing room in the corner of the establishment. Elizabeth was surprised by the quantity of dresses that Amelia brought out, but said nothing of it. _It's merely to see which I like _

Once she had tried all of them on, Elizabeth decided on three that she particularly liked. One was a light yellow color with a wide skirt, short sleeves, and white lace trimming the bodice. Another one she picked was dark green, had three quarter sleeves, and a black sash tying it's waist. She also picked out a rose colored dress with white ribbon crossing in the front and a new nightgown.

Coming to the desk in the front, Elizabeth sat then down on the counter, and looked for the lady that had helped her before. She then began to tap her nails on the table as she waited impatiently. _What was taking the girl so long?_

Elizabeth watched her fingers as the continued to patter on the surface. She almost that she was still wearing Jack's ring. She had thought it so lovely at the time for him let her keep it, but now she wondered if maybe he had meant something more by it.

"Oh there you are! Is that all? Alright." Amelia said rushing out of the back with two boxes in her hands. "You almost forgot these."

"Excuse me?"

"Your husband told me to get these too. Though he did tell me you were not to see them…" Amelia said, adding up the cost in her head.

"My husband?" Elizabeth said astonished. Jack hadn't said that, had he?

"Yes, Ma'am. Mr. Sparrow. Lovely ring you've got there, if it isn't to bold to say." The woman smiled at Elizabeth.

"Ah, yes…thank you." Elizabeth blushed. What was she supposed to say? Just as she was about to retort, Jack came rushing through the door.

"Ello love." Jack said, kissing her swiftly. "Missed me?"

"I…"

"Mr. Sparrow, everything is as you wanted. Here are the two items you requested, oh and here are the other items that your wife has selected." Amelia said, handing the boxes over the counter.

Jack froze. Wife. It didn't bother him really, but did Elizabeth say that? Jack glanced over to her. She seemed surprised too. However, Jack decided to go along with it.

"Yes, well. Me and me wife ought to be going now. Thank you so much for you help Amelia. It's much obliged." Jack piles all of the boxes into his hands and headed for the door.

"Jack…" Elizabeth said, curiously. Why had he gone along with what the woman had said? Where had he gone off? And what on earth were in those boxes?

"Later Lizzie." Jack said cautiously, not wanting to discuss anything further until they were back at the Drunken Bride.

* * *

It was now a couple hours later, so Will decided that his time was up and he would be able to have his free drinks back at the inn.

As he walked inside, Will saw the regular crowd that normally filled Tortuga's bars. It was now sundown and all the usual scallywags were how emerging for they nighttime hours.

Seeing an open seat at the bar, Will quickly moved toward it, not noticing who he was seated next to.

"You look familiar. Do I know you?" A man with a scraggly beard and a monkey asked him.

"No. Why?" Will questioned

"Oh, it's just that you look like one of my old crew mates. Name's Hector Barbossa, captain of the Black Pearl."

_The Black Pearl_, Will thought, _that's Sparrow's old ship. This man was the one that stole it, and then if he's here then his ship must be here. I wonder if he means my father…who is one the Dutchman…maybe I can get the pearl and save my father…_

"Did you know Bill Turner?"

"Did I? Did you?" Barbossa got excited. Maybe this is his son!

But Will was too smart to say who he was.

" I'm Will. Bill Turner was my godfather." _Close enough_ he thought.

"Oh…" Barbossa said disappointedly, taking on more gulp of his mug and then leaving Will and the bar

Will rolled his eyes. Pirates. They only are out to help themselves.

Behind the counter Will noticed a maid with brown hair and a rose dress.

"Excuse me?" Will said leaning over the table a bit. "I'm here for my free drinks." He joked.

"Free!!! Free my ass!! You'll be paying like all of the rest you bloody scoundrel!!" A woman he had never meet started yelling at him loudly, making him lean back his chair away from her. She was nothing like the girl he had met this afternoon. She wore over-the-top make-up, a low cut dress, and had (if you can't tell) a very threatening disposition.

"Becky," said Nicole coming to his rescue from the kitchen. "It's my fault. I'll take care of this."

"You'd better." Becky snarled as she went along her business.

Will let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much…"

Nicole didn't respond but instead slammed a mug of rum down on the table.

"What?" Will said alarmed

"What were you thinking asking Becky for your drinks! You could have just asked her were I was!" She said angrily at him. If the drinks didn't get her in trouble with the boss, then that certainly would.

"I'm sorry! I didn't…" Will started, but then gave up. He didn't want to admit he thought that horrible woman was the sweet girl that stood before him now.

"It's alright….So, how was you day?" Nicole was starting to like the handsome, young drunk that keep coming into her life.

"Fine I guess. Not much to report…" Will said

"Tell me all." Nicole urged and they continued to talk the rest of the night, while Will drank all of his **two **drinks.

* * *

Review!!! :)


	17. Chapter 17

A/N- Happy Halloween!!!!

"Jack!"

Elizabeth yelped at him as he pulled her by her arm down the street. He was moving so quickly she couldn't keep up. What was all of this about? Why was he in such a hurry? Why had he left her at the dress shop and then come back in a huff?

Jack was anxious. He looked over his shoulder and around every corner. They weren't safe. His Lizzie wasn't safe…

"Hush, Elizabeth." Jack surprised her with his deadly serious tone. Elizabeth? He never called her by her proper name! She didn't like it…

"What?" Elizabeth said nervously. She knew something had to be wrong to make Jack act that way.

"Just wait until we get back to the inn…"He warned under his breath, feeling protective of her. He then began to pick up speed and tugged Elizabeth through an alley short cut to the Drunken Bride.

* * *

"And then I told him that he could get his own drinks and I walked away." Nicole shouted proudly and cheerfully at Will, earning a chuckle.

They had spent the whole night together, Nicole telling tales of her life in Tortuga, Will venting about Elizabeth. Nicole understood exactly how he felt. It was not to long ago that someone she loved abandoned her and she was forced to make her own way of life as a bar maid in a pirate port.

Will really liked Nicole. She was funny, sweet, and a great listener. He was enjoying himself so much that he had almost forgotten about the incident that morning.

"Nicole, you really are one of the best people I've ever met." Will said in a moment of innocence. Nicole giggled back.

"That's just because I gave you free drinks…" She teased

Suddenly the great wooden doors slammed open and Will saw Jack pulling Elizabeth inside by her arm.

Now remembering what had happened that morning, Will stood up from his bar stool and walked over to them, blocking their path.

"Sparrow. She may love you but that doesn't give you the right to treat her like one of the smutty girls here." Will defended Elizabeth thinking that she was being forced. Nicole over heard Will and dashed into the kitchen, upset. So **that** was why he was so friendly and nice to her…Just thought she was one of those girls, she was a game to him.

Will, however, did not notice that Nicole had left, but continued to glare at Jack.

"Really mate. You've got it all wrong. You never understand…" Jack mumbled under his breath.

"Really, Will. It's not what it looks like…but thank you though." Elizabeth smiled weakly, worried about Jack's sudden strange behavior.

Will felt embarrassed and just nodded in response. It wasn't his place anymore. Feeling upset again, Will made his way back over to his stool only to find that the waitress he had been talking to earlier had disappeared…

"Jack, please tell me what's wrong? Did I upset you?" Elizabeth examined into his face. His eyebrows were creased together and his mouth was placed in a pout.

"No, no…" Jack lightly smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "We need to get out of her Lizzie…"

"Why?"

"Have you ever heard of Lord Cutler Beckett, love?"

Elizabeth's mind began to click. She did recognize the name. In her dream…he had been a threat to them…

"It seems familiar…"

"He is the head of The East India Trading Company, and lets just say, not a pirate's best friend. Especially not mine. He's one of those sick malicious leaders who find pleasure in seeing a hanging… I'm guessing he heard of my escape and decided this would be the most likely place to look" Jack snarled and grimaced as he spoke.

"What are we suppose to do?" Elizabeth said scared. She didn't want to get hurt and she certainly didn't want Jack to get hung. He was a pirate with the P branded on his arm after all and she was very worried about his safety

"I don't know what we can do, darling… they're probably on there way here right now…"

As if summoned by Jack's words, a loud bang was heard from outside the pub, followed by some screams and the sounds of gunshots.

"Come on!" Elizabeth said, grasping Jack's free hand, and tugging him up the stairs, Jack barely able to balance the boxes in his arms.

Moving down the hall, Elizabeth pulled out her key and went into her cabin, followed closely by Jack.

"Maybe is we stay up here they won't find us…" Elizabeth hoped

"I highly doubt that, Lizzie." Jack said looking through the window curtains out onto the chaotic street below them.

"We've got to come up with a plan." Elizabeth muttered, beginning to pace. Jack just stared at her. "Well?"

"Well what?" Jack asked curiously

"Well what's the plan?" Elizabeth said beginning to become agitated.

"How should I know?" Jack said looking out the window once more, noticing the troops now coming through the door.

"You're Captain Jack Sparrow for God sakes!" Elizabeth said hysterically. She didn't work well under pressure

"Yes. And you're Elizabeth Swann. Your point is…" Jack teased swaggering over to her.

"My point is! My point is that you should have a plan. You always have a plan…" Elizabeth said stressed out sitting on the bed. There were soldiers downstairs that could kill them at any minute or worse, take Jack away from her. Why wasn't he upset about this?

"I'm just messing with you darling." Jack leaned down and kissed her forehead, trying to get her to calm down. " And yes…I do have a plan." Jack smirked down at her.

Elizabeth scoffed and then hit him playfully on the arm.

"Alright then Lizzie! You've already made a bruise there, are you trying to make it bigger now?" Jack joked as he opened the window and looked out.

He was right. There was a small pillar by this window. If they were lucky, he would be able to reach that pillar and slide the both of them down.

"Come here…" Jack motioned her towards the window.

Jack looked down at the ground. They were fairly high up.

Jack looked back at Elizabeth and realized he swelled smoke. He quickly looked at the door and saw flames charring at the bottom of the door.

"Hurry Lizzie!" Jack said frightened.

"What about the dresses?" Elizabeth said heart broken and looked at the mystery boxes. Now she would never know what was in them

"Toss em here." Jack rushed. He didn't want what was in the boxes to get burned, but it didn't matter that much though because the most important thing was Lizzie. And he always had what was in his pocket…

Jack quickly threw the boxes onto the ground outside, and pulled Elizabeth into his arms.

She was freaking out. Distant sounds of screaming and panic filled the air. Elizabeth felt as if her feelings on the inside were being said out loud.

"Hold on Lizzie. It's a bit of a long way down…" Jack warned, then climb out the window, keeping a firm grip on her waist and grasping the side out the building with the other. Jack tiptoed on the edge of a wall, pulling Elizabeth along behind him.

"Wrap your arms around me and don't let go." Jack told her once they reached the pillar.

Wrapping his arms around the pillar and her likewise around his waist, Jack slid them down.

"That wasn't so hard was it?" Jack teased her once they hit the ground and then began to pick up the boxes. "And look, not even the dresses got burnt!"

Elizabeth smiled at him and then took large steps away from the burning building.

Now what were they suppose to do… They had the Interceptor, but it wouldn't be safe to go back to it now that the Navy was there. They probably knew that it was the ship that Jack stole.

"What now?" Elizabeth said, wrapping her arms around his waist and gazing up at the fire.

"I don't know love…I don't know." Jack whispered vulnerably into her hair, kissing the crown of her head.

* * *

Jack stood with one hand grasping the wheel, waiting for the battle to begin. He looked down at the crew and noticed Will taking charge, arranging the cannons at their port holes and getting the gun powder ready. Jack searched the crew hoping to see a familiar face. But she wasn't there. Maybe she was never coming back…His Lizzie had been gone for the longest time now and it was starting to ware on him. It was like a part of him was missing, stolen away from him cruelly. Why had she gone into the past anyways? Jack wondered for about the billionth time. He loved her and she had left him…why?

Jack had been getting strange memories lately. On the interceptor…him teasing her about her clothing…Lizzie making him jealous…two large men trying to assault her…Will finding them in a strange room in their nightclothes…a dress shop…a fire.

He only remembered bits and pieces of them and the memories were making him very confused. If Lizzie did want to be with him why hadn't she just stayed here!!!

Jack sighed and looked up to the sky. It was becoming overcast and getting a bit darker. The battle was about to begin, Jack could tell by the eerie feeling that had come over the ship…

What was he suppose to do?

"Oh, Lizzie…Why aren't you here when I need you?"

* * *

Pulling on the sail, Will suddenly stopped.

There he saw Jack and Elizabeth together, in a bedroom.

Will tried to shake away his thoughts, rubbing his fingers over his eyes. He had just thought of giving Jack a break, and letting go of Elizabeth completely. They loved each other after all.

But then he remembered something very strange. In the past, he had seen them together. It had ripped his heart into shreds.

Will sighed and moved to the railing, leaning on it with his elbows for support.

He really did miss Elizabeth. The way she smiled and laughed, the way her hair glimmered in the sun on a bright summer day…

But she wanted Jack, and he wanted her too. Elizabeth was forever lost to him now and the only thing that mattered to him anymore was freeing his father.

Another memory flew into his head, a sweet, brown haired girl with sparkling eyes talking and joking with him.

Who was she? Will, in his thoughts, agreed that she was very pretty…but no Elizabeth.

There would never be anyone like her. He cared for her so much, though, that he decided to let her be with Jack. Jack was a good man, as he had noticed today, and he knew he would take care of her.

"Oy!" Will heard his captain call to him from the helm.

Will turned around to face him, stunned to see the swaggering pirate captain that he had just been contemplating walking over to him

"Mr. Turner, if you would be so kind, summon up the crew. I've got a bit of a speech to make to them all." Jack said animatedly

"Aye…" Will muttered as the captain began to walk away, "Wait, there's something you should know Jack…"

Jack spun around quickly and sauntered back over to him. "And what might that be?"

"The crew, um…" Will stuttered under Jack's intense gaze. "I've heard some of the crew, meaning Barbossa, talking about a mutiny…"

"Ah…" Jack said stressed. First Lizzie missing, then the battle, now this! "Really, you'd think by now Hector would realize who this ship really belongs too…"

"Sorry, Jack, I just thought you should know…" Will muttered again, still not sure if he was happy with his situation. Should he have told Jack or just have taken the pearl for himself?

"Thanks mate." Jack smiled at him, then hit his back before rushing downstairs to the crews' quarters. Nobody was going to get away with a mutiny on his ship…Well, not again at least…

**Please Review! All comments appreciated!**


	18. Chapter 18

A/N- I know it's been a long wait, but I hope this chapter's worth it

* * *

Choking on smoke, Will Turner exited the building, looking around at the panic that was ensuing outside. Women and children stood in panic as navy soldiers destroyed their homes and their loved ones. The men, however, were attacking the soldiers the best they could, which wasn't saying very much given their drunken state…

Looking around at the survivors from the fire, Will searched for one particular face, Nicole, the girl who had saved him from his misery..… But he was unsuccessful.

He looked everywhere, in front of the pub, across the street, he even had the courage to ask the waitress that had yelled at him were she was, receiving a slap in the process.

Frightened, Will decided to venture back into the building to find her.

Shoving aside a collapsed table, Will reentered the pub, glancing around in all directions for a women with brown hair and sparkling eyes…

_Where was she? Did she not realize that there was a fire? Was the lovely lady that helped him cope with his loss lost forever?_

Will then heard a small whimper coming from the kitchen, just behind the counter.

Stepping carefully over everything that was burning, Will finally made it to the back of the bar.

Pushing open the door to kitchen, Will saw a horrendous sight. There was Nicole, unconscious in the middle of the room, surrounded by flames.

This was where they stored the rum, so the flames were spreading quickly, slowly coming towards the limp form in the center of the room.

Will ran to the middle of the room, quickly scooping up Nicole into his arms before the flames spread completely.

"Nicole! Nicole! Can you hear me?" Will asked anxiously, shaking her slightly as if to wake her up.

"Will…" Nicole muttered, barely being able to lift her eyelids

"Don't worry… I'll get us out of here…" Will pleaded with her and himself, hoping the way he came wasn't already covered with flames.

Cautiously, Will tested the door before thrusting it open. Once they were out of the kitchen, Will then shifted Nicole's body over his shoulder so that he would be able to move the debris enough for them to escape.

After tossing aside the remains of the counter, Will heard a crackling noise above him as little specks of cinder fell on top of him. The roof was collapsing. If he didn't get them out now, he might not have a chance…

Will looked towards the exit. It was not to far away, but there were lots of obstacles that hadn't been there before, when he had first entered.

Realizing that this was probably their only hope, Will raced towards the door, knocking burnt tables over and dodging beams from the ceiling as they began to be falling down.

Once outside, Will continued to walk away from the building, trying to get them as far away from it as possible.

With Nicole in his arms and bits smoke in eyes, however, he couldn't see much and quickly ran into some people.

"Hey! Watch it mate! Way to break up a moment eunuch!"

"Jack…." Will heard another all-too-familiar-voice warn.

"Oh! Oops…sorry." Jack said as though he had forgotten, even though he hadn't

"Jack? Elizabeth? How did you escape the fire?" Will asked, curiously wondering how they could have escaped when they on the top floor.

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, Remember?" Jack said arrogantly

Will and Elizabeth both rolled their eyes in response. _Really? Not that excuse again…_

"What's wrong with the lass?" Jack now noticed the woman that Will was holding. "Something happen?"

"She got caught if the fire… Jack, why is the navy here?"

"More like the East India Trading Company…. " Jack grimaced "They chased us here I'm guessing. Norrington must have let slip to Becket about my little escape.

"Becket?" Will turned his attention to Elizabeth, wondering if she knew any of this

"Malicious, evil… basically the Davy Jones of the Royal Navy. He's not someone we pirates want to run into…" Jack explained while looking around where they are, hoping not to see any soldiers.

"We are not pirates, Jack. You are." Will said glancing at Elizabeth again. She was giving him and Nicole the strangest look. It was as if she was trying to examine their behavior, to see if they were attached or something. But that's ridiculous…

"What are you talking about? You save me from jail, steel a ship, and come to a pirate port like Tortuga. How are you not? ... Oh, and besides, Lizzie wants to be a pirate." Jack smiled at Elizabeth and snuck his arm around her waist, proudly.

Will gave Elizabeth a questionable look, but did not say anything to this new news. He had always known of her love of pirates, ever since he was a little boy. She always wanted to be the pirate when they played together.

"Well then…eh-hem…" Jack coughed, to break the silence. "Where are we off to?"

"I don't know… You tell us Captain!" Elizabeth said playfully

Will looked away awkwardly, now remembering the woman in his arms.

"We need to get out of here. I would suggest that we go back to the Interceptor, but it is obvious that it was probably the first place they would look. Do either of you have any ideas?" Jack looked at them both and noticed that Elizabeth was glaring at him. " What I'm 'plan'ed out today! You took my last one!"

"Jack? Do you by chance know a man named Captain Barbossa?" Will watched in amazement as Jack stuck his tongue out in disgust.

"Yeah, I know that measly traitor…. Why?" Jack was surprised by Will's question…how on earth could he know him…

"Well, he's here. I talked to him at the pub. He said he was Captain of the Black Pearl … isn't that your ship?"

Jack furrowed his brows. _The Pearl? In Tortuga?_ " Yes. I'm its rightful owner. I was its captain until Hector led a mutiny against me. The Pearl, however, is in his possession at he moment…"

Elizabeth looked at Jack sadly… Leaning into him more, she rested her head on his shoulder, and felt him tighten his grip on her waist.

Elizabeth was his most prized possession now… He wasn't going to let her be taken away from him… not like the pearl was

"Well, maybe here's your chance to get it back? It's right at the docks… We could take the Black Pearl and use it to escape!" Will wished to go and find his father…. Maybe with the pearl he would be able to free him from Jones…

"Excellent Idea Mr. Turner! What do ye say Elizabeth? Ready for another adventure?" Jack said animatedly, looking down at the woman on his arm.

"Aye, Aye Captain!" Elizabeth said with a giggle, leading them down the street towards the harbor. "Oh and Captain!" Elizabeth said catching his attention. "Don't forget the dresses…"

Jack chuckled and picked up the boxes before he followed them down the street…how much he loved her_…Great, Captain Jack Sparrow…. You're in love…_

_

* * *

_

"Lord Becket, there's been a sighting down by the harbor sir."

"Excellent…" Becket said in his usual heartless tone

"What are your orders, sir?" The soldier asked

"Tell all your best men to make their way towards the harbor, and if anyone gets in their way… they have the royal navy's permission to kill… Jack Sparrow has escaped me several times, but he will not again. See that this doesn't happen. For if it does, the pirates won't be the only ones being hanged…" Cutler Becket said maliciously, and without feeling.

"Yes sir." The soldier said, almost shaking, then he proceeded to find his troops to give them the message. They cannot fail him…

* * *

"Do you hear something?" Elizabeth stopped walking all of the suddenly, listening to her surroundings.

True enough, there was the sound of a drum coming closer and closer…

"They are on to us…" Jack said worried… What about his Lizzie… "Come, on! Hurry up" He said grabbing Elizabeth's arm and pulling her faster towards the harbor, beginning into a sprint, almost loosing the boxes in his arms in the process…

"Jack!" Elizabeth screamed in protested because he was hurting her arm. Immediately she regretted it…

"Oh that's just great, Elizabeth…" Will snarled from just behind them, "Way to give away out location…"

Elizabeth blushed in embarrassment. How was she ever going to learn to be a pirate if she couldn't even keep her mouth shut?

Jack gave her a sympathetic smile. He knew she didn't do it on purpose

As they continued to run, they kept hearing the drums beat louder and louder… Will was having trouble running with Nicole in his arms. She wasn't heavy at first, but the constant weight soon began to wear him down, so much in fact, that he was well behind Jack and Elizabeth.

Jack was also dealing with similar problems. While trying to make Elizabeth keep moving, he also had to balance a bunch of boxes in his arms as well. Will was curious as to what could be inside them, but nothing could match Elizabeth's.

Once they reached the harbor, It didn't take Jack long to find the Pearl. To him, it was like he was being reunited with a long lost friend.

They all quickly boarded the ship and detached it from land. Will then went into one of the cabin's and laid Nicole down, hoping that she would wake up soon, and wouldn't need any medical attention. They were going to be at sea after all.

Then, He and Elizabeth began to raise the sails while Jack took the helm.

Through this whole time their hearts were racing… they could hear the drum beat getting closer and closer. They could now hear the sound of soldier's feet beating the pavement also…

Jack turned the wheel so that the ship would leave the port. Then looking back, he breathed sigh of relief. The soldiers were just coming through the city gate, and would, by no means, make it in time to stop them. They were safe.

Will, realizing that they were ok, decided to go check on Nicole to see if she was awake yet.

Elizabeth looked over at Jack, relieved as well. She then rushed over into his arms and pulled him into a tight embrace, feeling even safer in his arms.

"Elizabeth…"Jack murmured, kissing her neck and positioning her in front of him and near the wheel.

"Yes Jack?" She said sighing, barely breathing under the touch of his lips on her skin.

"Welcome to the pearl… Do you like Her?" Jack brushed some of her hair away from her face and neck and continued to caress her.

"She's Beautiful…"Elizabeth whispered, moving her hands through his mass of hair, toying with the things he had it.

"I'm glad you think so…" Jack whispered back, matching her tone, now moving as close to her as possible, so that she was stuck between him and the wheel.

"Why is that Jack?" She gasped, as he continued to kiss her tenderly. She pulled he neck closer to her.

"Because I'm hoping that you will stay here for a long time…" Jack said tenderly into her ear. At this, Jack stopped caressing her, and looked directly into her eyes.

What she saw back amazed her. She saw hope, devotion, caring, Passion, yearning, and most of all…Love. She couldn't believe it, but Captain Jack Sparrow was, most defiantly in love.

"Oh!!! I'm sorry! I didn't know…" She heard someone say surprised.

It was Will. He had checked on Nicole, but had seen no change, so he decided to come back out. _I guess that was a mistake…_

Startled, Jack and Elizabeth broke apart, both secretly cursing Will Turner for barging in on them.

"I'll talk to you later, huh, Lizzie?" Jack said, seeing that Will wanted to talk to Elizabeth, and sensing the awkward situation they were all now in.

"Yes." Elizabeth said with a smile, taking his hand and squeezing it a bit as to reassure him that she did want to stay.

They will talk later. They have a lot to discuss.

"I'm sorry Elizabeth… I did not mean to intrude…" Will said embarrassed…

"No, it's all right." Part of her was thankful that he had come along, not sure how far she would have gone if he hadn't….

"Elizabeth, I want you to know that I forgive you. I know you can't help it. It's not like you purposely fell in love with Jack to hurt me… You didn't, did you?" Will joked, trying to keep the mood light.

Elizabeth chuckled. "I certainly did not. If I did, I can tell you I probably would have chosen a man with better manners and hygiene." She teased Jack, knowing that he was probably listening.

" That's good to know." Will laughed. "I just though I should tell you that I don't have hard feelings…. Well at least not anymore…I'm tired of them…I've seen you together, and now I understand…though it's hard for me to understand you particular choice…I want you to be happy Elizabeth. I care for you very much, and I don't want you to get hurt. But if you think that you will be happy with Jack and he will take care of you…I except it and I hope you two will be very happy together." Will finished with a sigh, surprised he had gotten it all out

"Will…"Elizabeth was surprised by his behavior, but very relieved. "Thank you so much. I do think I will be happy with him and it means a lot to me that you said that. I care about you too and I want you to be happy. I hope that you can some day be as happy as I am." Elizabeth smiled as him sweetly and kissed him on the cheek.

Will then decided to take his leave, trying to keep his resolve that he just made. _If she's happy, I'm happy…._


	19. Chapter 19

A/n- Another Chapter to make up for my horrible negligence. Hope you enjoy it.. And as always don't hesitate to review and tell me what you think

* * *

It was soon getting dark and they were well out at sea now. Jack had reemerged right after Will had left, not very happy that she had kissed him, but happy with the part of the conversation he heard.

Elizabeth was seated on the steps, gazing out at the sunset. There was nothing that could draw her eyes from the beautiful sky. It reminded her of a similar sunset, back in Port Royal, then night her father decided to let her leave. Elizabeth smiled to herself. Then, she hadn't though herself in love with Jack Sparrow. She simply thought she longed from adventure. But the thing was, that's what Jack was, the biggest adventure of her life

"So Darling, do you still want me to do it?" Jack called from the helm. _Well there was nothing but him…_

"Do what?"

"Teach you to be a pirate of course. I promised you I would. I mean, you freed me, and you helped me get my ship back, the least I can do is teach you a few things about pirating!" Jack insisted

"Alright!" Elizabeth said excitedly, hoisting herself up. She then walked to stand in front of the helm.

"Alright!" Jack said, almost mimicking her, "Well your going to have to come a bit closer love." Jack gave her a seductive look as she moved towards him.

"Now what?" Elizabeth flirted.

"Stand here, and take the wheel firmly in you hands." Jack moved her to stand where he was standing before, and instead stood behind her. He then took each of her hands and placed them individually on the wheel.

"Now," Jack whispered, resting his head on her shoulder, "gently spin the wheel to the east." Jack then, still holding her hands, helped her turn the wheel slightly to the left side.

Elizabeth grinned. She was steering a ship!!!!

"Good, good," Jack chuckled, "Now, hold it steady." Jack said, slowly releasing hid grip so that she was controlling the steering wheel all by herself. He then wrapped his arms around her waist and watched the expression of pure delight on her face.

Elizabeth could feel the Pearl moving beneath her, her hull moving slowly on the waves. She could feel the salty, Caribbean breeze blow through her hair and brush her face lightly. She had never had such an experience before. It was as if the world was at her fingers.

"I'd better watch out… She might replace me! " Jack teased in her ear.

Elizabeth giggled in response and looked back over her shoulder at him. "No own could replace you…" She than let go of one hand on the wheel, and placed it on the side of his face, caressing his cheek delicately.

Jack moved in to kiss her, seeking her mouth with his. As they kissed, Elizabeth's grip on the wheel began to loosen and it wasn't long until….

"Oops!" Elizabeth squealed, grabbing the wheel quickly before it could move to far.

" See, that is why you should never distract the captain when he's at the wheel…" Jack gave her he's famous smile.

"I'll remember that for future reference…" Elizabeth teased…

Jack chuckled then looked up at the sky. It was now dark.

" It's getting late. Perhaps we should go to bed." Jack motioned towards the cabins.

"Wait a minute…if that girl has a cabin, and Will has a cabin…" Elizabeth said counting the doors, "That means…."

"That we're one cabin short." Jack had noticed and was actually hoping this would happen

"Oh…" was all Elizabeth responded. She didn't know if she could trust herself to share a bed or Jack for that matter. She had certain moral standards and she didn't want to let those go. She trusted him before at the inn because it was only one night, and she needed him… but what about now…

"You can share the Captain's Quarter's with me if you'd like…" Jack asked, hoping to God she said yes.

"I don't know…" Elizabeth said confused. She wanted… oh god she wanted to, but she was afraid he would try something.

"Oh, come on…I've already got your dresses in the closet and everything…"

So he was planning on her saying yes. He had that much confidence. Well he was Captain Jack Sparrow; he has probably had many women and could have whichever one he wanted.

"Please Lizzie…I don't want to have you have to sleep in the crew's quarters…Please." Jack pleased to her with his eyes… and of course those eyes were the things that always got to her.

"Alright…"She said shyly, as he opened the door for her.

The Captain's Quarter's were spectacular. Just inside was an office surrounded by wooden paneling and a large window at the stern of the ship. The desk was rather messy, covered with a lot of maps and candles, as well as old rum bottles

" Let me get rid of some reminders of the Pearl's last owner…" Jack mumbled, clearing off the desk completely, glancing as a few maps before stashing them, and then throwing the rest of it into the corner.

Jack smiled up at Elizabeth. "How about a tour of your new home?"

Elizabeth smiled awkwardly. She wasn't sure if she was comfortable with this. It was if she had moved in with the man…but didn't she want that? Didn't she feel at home with him? Wasn't she in love with him?

"Why not!" She blushed, taking a hand that he offered to her.

"Alright then…This is my desk… most of my most important work is done here, so if you ever see me here, it might not be wise to disturb me… all though it would be a welcome disturbance I assure you…" Jack flirted happily. Elizabeth was here, with him, on the pearl, what more was there in Life?

Elizabeth giggled. She was beginning to feel more comfortable, though still on edge about the whole situation.

" And now over here…" Jack said, dragging her along behind him to a large, brown chest in the corner, "This is where I store all of my weapons, swords, guns, and so on… you get the picture… all of them except for my own personal favorite sword that I keep at my bedside at all times, in case of trouble…"

Finished with his office, Jack pulled her to a door that was on the left side of his cabin. Jack gave her a large grin and then opened the door for her saying, "After you my lady…"

Inside was his bedroom. In the center of the room was a large, poster bed, covered with blue sheets. On one the side of the room was a night table with a basin full of fresh water and next to it newly opened soap. Elizabeth was surprised by this and flattered, for she knew it was there especially for herself. On the other side was a large closet, barely closing because of her large dresses, and a dressing screen, which she could assume was also placed there just for her.

"Do you like it?" Jack asked vulnerably

Elizabeth hurried to him, and quickly pecked him on the cheek "Thank you…" She smiled, cling to his shoulder

Jack grinned back at her, happy that she was pleased. Without another word, Jack moved to the bed and sat down to take his boots off.

Elizabeth looked at the closet curiously, wondering how it could be so full when she had only bought three dresses and a nightgown.

Inside was not only the stuff she bought at the dress shop, but also Jack's clothing, and to her surprise, more dresses and clothing items….

"Jack!"

"What!" Jack shouted alarmed, in the middle of undressing, just barely pulling up his breeches

"Oh…I'm sorry…"Elizabeth blushed and turned away

"No, no, it's alright love…what's wrong?" Jack said pulling on a new shirt.

" Where did all these dresses come from?" Elizabeth asked furiously…he was doing too much for her now

"Oh nowhere…" Jack said trying to be nonchalant and laid down on the bed.

"Was this what was in those other boxes?"

"One of them is, but no, not all of them. They're from down below. Where do you think I got the other stuff?" Jack motioned around him

"Ugh…"Elizabeth said annoyed, grabbing the nightgown from the closet and going behind the screen to change.

"What you don't like them or something?" Jack continued to talk to her from the other side of the screen

"You know that's not it." She said, poking her head out from behind the screen

"Then what is? I'm not a mind reader Elizabeth?" Jack said teasing her

Elizabeth emerged from behind the screen and placed her old dress in the closet. She then walked over to Jack who was now longing on the bed.

"Really, Jack… You don't have to do all this for me…" Elizabeth said looking around her.

"I know I don't." Jack said cockily, "But I want to."

Jack gazed at her lovingly from below. She wore a simple white night dress with a pink bow at the collar. Her long, golden locks were no longer up and away from her face as she still normally wore it, but instead, all of it was down.

"Well, thank you." Elizabeth said shyly, looking at Jack's image as he was hers. He wore a different, looser fitting shirt and faded, old breeches. Not a fantasy image, but still, she liked him better when he wasn't trying to live up to his image all the time.

Tired, Elizabeth lifted the covers on her side and snuggled into the cozy, blue sheets.

Jack then joined her under the covers after blowing out the candles, and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her waist once more.

"Night my darling." He murmured into her hair, kissing her hair lightly.

"Night Jack…" Elizabeth turned to him slightly, running her hand along the side of his face.

* * *

"Barbossa!!!" Jack called from on deck. No way was he going to steal his pearl again…

"What?" Barbossa said, annoyed as he came up on deck

"I've heard your planning a munity again, you traitor…" Jack snarled through his teeth

"You've heard right." Barbossa stated simply

"Great timing Hector. Right when we are about to go into battle. You never wait for the opportune moment do you?" Jack said, taking out his sword

"I say, why wait?"

Barbossa took out his sword as well, sliding it onto Jacks.

Barbossa made the first move, making a sharp slice to the left, quickly blocked by Jack. Jack then jabbed at Barbossa's shoulder, barely missing by an inch.

This continued on for a long time, until both men were about beat.

"You can't will, Jack! I told you! There is a curse, and because of it, I can't die. You've got no chance against an immortal, Jack, no matter how good a swordsmen you might be." Barbossa said arrogantly, making a quick blow along Jack's left side, cutting him deep.

Jack's side killed like hell. The sword had gone in deep, no matter how quick Barbossa had done it. Clutching his side, Jack didn't feel like he stood much of a chance any longer. Maybe Barbossa was right

All of the sudden, a bunch of the crew came charging up the stairs, Gibbs leading the way.

They all came up behind Barbossa, and pulled him aside, saving Jack in the process.

"What should be do with him, Captain?" Gibbs asked, spiting in Barbossa's face

"Brig, as usual Gibbs." Jack said through his teeth, not able to handle the pain, "That is until I can think of a good punishment.

"Aye Aye Captain" Gibbs said dragging Barbossa away.

"_Aye Aye Captain!"_ Jack remembered Elizabeth saying this to him and smiled slightly before grimacing from the pain…

Maybe there was something in his cabin that could give him some relief…

Inside his cabin, Jack was very surprised. There was knew furniture in his bedroom along with dresses in his closet.

"What the…?"

Then he remembered….

"_You don't have to do all this for me you know?"_

"_I know I don't …I wanted to"_

He missed his Lizzie so much. She would know what to do about his wound…

"For now though, I guess I'll just have to manage for my self…" Jack said to himself as he ripped up some bandages, and began to apply ointment to his wound.

* * *

"Will…" He heard her mutter softly

"Don't worry, I'm here…" Will said as he brushed away her bangs and applied a wet cloth to her forehead, trying to cool her fever.

"Will…" Nicole said weakly again

"Yes?"

"Thank you…"

Nicole then feel back asleep as Will continued to take care of her by applying ointment to her small burns and cuts that she had received during the fire.

"Don't worry Nicole… I'm taking care of you… You'll be good as new in no time." Will whispered to her, taking hold of one of her hands.

Without waking, Nicole smiled in her sleep…

* * *

"Now… Hold yourself just so…" Jack said adjusting Elizabeth's position.

"Like this?" Elizabeth said, wondering if she was doing it right

"Perfect…" Jack now moved away to stand across from her.

He had decided to teach her how to use a sword, though it was proving more difficult that he suspected

"Now, I step here…" Jack said stepping sideways, and crossing blades with her

"And I step here…" Elizabeth said, now starting to catch on

Jack nodded in response. " Now it's my turn again." He hit his blade several times at her, each time she successfully blocked it.

She then took her advance and stepped forward, now attacking herself. Jack was surprised at her move, but quickly took advantage when she let her sword hand to loose and snatched it away from her.

"AH!" Elizabeth yelled, frustrated

"You're doing better Lizzie, honestly you are…" Jack comforted, leading her to sit down on the bed. " You just need more practice. Try holding the sword tighter next time, so that it's not that easy for me to snatch it away."

Elizabeth sighed and put her head in her hands. They had been at this for hours now because she refused to stop. She knew she could do it. She used to beat Will at sword fights all the time when they were children! But of course, that was Will, not a professional pirate!

"Really Lizzie, you've improved quite a lot. You advanced on me this time, you have never done that before." Jack smiled, trying to make her feel better. Sword fighting was very complex. It's not something you can learn in one day like she seemed to think it is…

"That's because I am so damn angry!!!" Elizabeth yelled, throwing her hands in the air, and standing up from the bed.

"Maybe we should take a break…" Jack said, scared by His Elizabeth's behavior

"Fine, but we are coming right back to it afterwards." Elizabeth insisted, sitting down on the bed once more

"Soooo…" Jack said nervously sitting beside her, afraid she might explode again

"Where were you when I was at the dress shop?" said Elizabeth changing the subject

"Oh! I was doing an errand… really no big deal…"

"Really? Then why did you leave me at the dress shop all by myself? I could have go on this errand with you afterwards?" Elizabeth said, trying to interrogate him

"You got me….You see it was a place where women aren't allowed…"Jack made up

"Oh!....So you went to a brothel then?" Elizabeth said hurt and angry… Of course… He wasn't getting thing like that from her like he's used to. That's why she wasn't allowed to come. It was a gentlemen's club he went to.

"No!!!! No Lizzie!!!! I didn't, I swear!!! I wouldn't do that to you…." Jack protested "I lied…women are allowed, I just didn't want you to know where I was going. It was and is a surprise."

"Alright…I believe you…" Elizabeth felt horrible for accessioning him of cheating on her. She knew he wouldn't want to hurt her

"Good." Jack said with a slight smile, patting her hands in her lap. "Any other questions?"

"Just one. What was in those boxes?" Elizabeth said, now getting to what had been bugging her most of all these past days.

"Ah…" Jack chuckled, "I knew that would be bugging you… But that my dear, I'm afraid, is one of my secrets well, that will in time be revealed, but for now I'm afraid, you will have to wait."

Elizabeth sighed, and leaned her head onto Jack's shoulder as he kissed her hair.

"Shall we try again?" Jack asked, hoping to lift her spirits

"Yes. And be prepared Captain Sparrow. I smell a victory coming my way some time soon. " Elizabeth toyed with him as he help her up and handed her a sword.

"Aye, I will" Jack played along, as he slid his sword across her's, taunting her as they began to duel more furiously than ever before.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N- Hey mates! Here are some new chapters!!! Yay! Note on this one, there is lots of Nicole and Will stuff, just so you are aware. Later on there is quite a bit of Sparrabeth though, don't worry! And if you review would you mind letting me know if you like the Will/Nicole stuff? This is the biggest chapter with that stuff I swear, I just need to know if you guys like that stuff too...

Enjoy!

* * *

Will wiped a wet towel across Nicole's forehead, trying to cool her fever. She had woken up for the first time since the accident the day before, but only for a short time. This worried Will. He had hoped it wasn't anything too serious and that she would recover quickly enough, but the fire seemed to have had a great effect on her well being. He pulled back the cloth and felt her face with the back of his hand to see if the fever had subsided any.

Will wondered why he was so concerned for Nicole; after all he had just met her a few days before.

_Maybe it is because she helped me recover from losing Elizabeth,"_ Will thought, "_Well at least a little, and now it's only far for me to help her in return."_

"Ah!" Nicole gasped all the sudden, breaking her unconsciousness. Her eyes were wide, almost scared, as if she had just escaped something terrible. She then noticed Will sitting next to her bed, still holding her hand.

"Your still here…" Nicole said amazement, and without her usual joking tone.

Will nodded and gave her a reassuring smile, patting the cloth on her forehead once more.

"Look, if you looking for more drinks, I'm out!" Nicole said, at a loss for why on earth the man she met in the bar could be here. After all, hadn't he basically called her a worthless whore, even if not directly?

Will just chuckled and squeezed her had a bit, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.

Nicole stared down at his hand in disbelief. All she wanted to ask was what was happening…did he like her? Did he somehow, even with their short acquaintance, have feelings for her?

"Where are we?" Nicole asked instead of the questions that were most plaguing her mind.

"Do you know of Jack Sparrow?" Will asked with a little flinch of his eye that didn't go unnoticed by Nicole.

"Of course. But what does he have to do with where we are?" Nicole asked confused and still a little bit light headed from her accident.

"Well, we are on the Black Pearl…" Will said, standing up and motioning to the room around him.

"Oh…" Nicole smiled sweetly at Will as he came back to sit beside her. "And why are we here?"

"The East India Trading Company is chasing us apparently, sorry I had to drag you into this…literally… " Nicole giggled, her bright eyes gazing at him. "But I had no choice. You fainted during the fire and I wanted to make sure you were all right."

"Thank you, again."

"Don't mention it." He then surprised himself and Nicole by reaching out and brushing a lock of her hair back behind her ear.

"Well…" Will said trying to break the awkward moment…._ What just happened?_

"So how do you know Jack Sparrow?" Nicole offered, wishing to break the silence also, not realizing that she was just going to cause another one.

Will blinked, surprised by her question…. _How did he know Jack Sparrow indeed…_

"You know Elizabeth? The woman I spoke to you about?" Will uttered, barely able to get what he wanted to say about. Though he had decided that he was 'happy is she's happy', the loss was still fresh.

Nicole nodded sympathetically. She remembered hearing him rant about her and how she had betrayed him.

"Well…she left me for Jack…and they are both on this ship…" Nicole looked down at her hands, feeling awkward once more. _What was she suppose to say? That she was sorry? Didn't she want Will for herself? That Elizabeth was a horrible person? she had never met her!...That she wished they weren't on the ship?...well isn't it true?_

Instead Nicole looked down at will's hand that now rested on the edge on the bed. She then reached out and put her hand over his tenderly, afraid he would draw away.

Will looked into her sparkling eyes in surprise. What was happening? Could he possibly be falling for a girl he just met a few days before?

"I sorry…" Nicole decided to say finally.

Will furrowed his brows confused… If she liked him why would she be sorry?

"It's fine." Will shrugged, "And besides, I think I'm getting over it." Will locked eyes with her once more, reaching out to brush back the same strand of hair that had come back in front of her ear.

Nicole quickly drew in breath, looking at Will's eyes, fascinated by his chocolate colored orbs.

"Right…" Will said drawing back once more_… This is crazy…_

"Will…" Nicole called softly, " Thank you for opening up to me about Elizabeth…"

The corners of Will's mouth tugged into a slight smile, "No problem. It helped me to talk about it with someone…"

Nicole expression became strange at this, her face confused and she looked like she was trying to decide something.

"Will."

"Hmm?" Will looked up curiously at her.

"Do you think it would help me as well? To talk about things…"

"Oh…" Will uttered, surprised, "Sure, sure, I bet it would."

"Well, what you must know is that I was once engaged to man, a pirate, a sailor…." Nicole looked anxiously at will for support, hoping that she wasn't revealing too much.

Will nodded in encouragement and squeezed her hand.

"And he went off to sea, promising me one day that he would come back to me. We would get married and live a quiet life once his adventures were over….But many months went by and I hadn't so much as received a letter from him… I feared he would never return, and I was having trouble supporting myself where I lived. So I came to Tortuga and became a bar maid, hoping that one day his ship might dock there, and I could see my fiancé again…That was 5 years ago and I've lived in Tortuga ever since…" Nicole finished with a huff; She was surprised she managed to get it out.

Will stared at her, astonished at what he had just heard, that she had been abandoned by someone she loved and was left alone to fend for herself… It made him see how very vulnerable Nicole really was. She may make jokes and hid behind a somewhat hard exterior, but inside she was very weak and alone. Just like him.

Throwing all caution to the wind, Will moved to sit on the bed beside her, and drew her close to him in a hug.

"I'm sorry…" Will said just like she had done.

" It's fine. I think I'm getting over it…"

* * *

"Well?" Cutler Beckett demanded… "Did you find them?"

"No sir… They managed to escape…" the soldier quivered, afraid.

"You know what that means, don't you?" Beckett said cruelly, glaring at the officer.

"Yes sir…. Prepare the nooses…" The soldier barely managed to get out.

"Correct. " Beckett coldly said, thinking about which one of his incompetents should be hung first…

* * *

Jack clutched his side, feeling his blood seep onto his fingers through the bandage that he had just applied. He cringed at the pain he was experiencing and sat down on the edge of his bed.

His cabin seemed so empty. She was gone. His Elizabeth was gone, and he might not even live to see her come back….

Jack thought of the battle to come with a grimace. Norrington was to lead the battle, thanks to him and he doubted if he had the best leadership skills with pirates. As for him…He would have to suffer through fighting with his injuring, braving the worse.

Jack glanced over at his closet; it's doors barely able to close. Deciding to investigate, Jack hobbled over to his dresser.

It was the dresses. The dresses he had bought her in the past. Lifting one up to his face, Jack smelled the fabric, and was surprised when he smelt a distinct "Elizabeth" scent. Jack looked at the dress. It was a lovely, silk gown in a soft rose color. He sifted his hands through and across the material, feeling as though this was a way to connect with Elizabeth in the past.

"Lizzie…" He whispered under his breath. "Why?"

Then the sound of his door creaking open stirred him out of his reverie.

"Jack?" Will called entering his cabin, then spotting Jack holding the dress in his hands… "Oh, sorry…" Will said, trying to quickly exit the room.

"No, it's ok William…" Jack said distantly… "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Oh, yes…" Will walked over to him, glancing at the dress more intently now, realizing whom it must have belonged to. "Norrington is out on deck, ready to start the battle. Everyone's waiting for you…"

"Right. " Jack murmured, sadly looking at the dress in his hands once more, "Tell them I'll be right out."

"Aye…" Will said awkwardly, walking back towards the door. "Jack?" Will called back

"Aye?" Jack said finally tearing his eyes away from the garment in his hands

"I'm sorry about Elizabeth…" Will said before shutting the door behind him.

Jack was startled. He never thought he would ever hear those words come out of Will Turner's mouth. If anyone should have said it, it was himself…

Jack looked back at the dress and reluctantly placed it back inside his closet.

"Goodbye Elizabeth…" Jack said sorrowfully, running his hands over the material for one last time… "I shall miss you… always and forever"

* * *

Will walked back and forth outside Jack's cabin, hoping the he would come out so that they could commence the battle. But it seemed like jack was going to stay in there forever.

Will thought about Elizabeth and how sorry he felt for Jack now that she had left. Yes, he felt bitter because she had chosen him over himself, but really he didn't care much anymore. He felt more pity for Jack than himself.

Will's thoughts drifted back to a woman with long brown hair and glistening eyes. Nicole, he thought, that's her name…

But where did this woman come from? Was she just a figment of his imagination?

Or did she really excise? He remembered her as though he had known her at some point and time in the past…but can that be true? When did he ever meet a woman named Nicole?

And, if she does exist, where is she now?

The door of the captain's quarters flew open.

"Jack!" Will exclaimed, startled.

"You told me to come out didn't you?" Jack asked miserably, still clutching his side.

"Oh, yes! Umm… Norrington just below…" Will said, feeling sympathy for Jack and noticing the large slash in his side.

Brushing Will aside, Jack walked down the steps slowly, holding the railing for support with all his might…

* * *

Elizabeth blinked her eyes, blinded by the sun flowing in the window.

Yawning, she stretched out her arms as she began to become aware of her surroundings again.

She was in Jack's cabin. In his bed to be exact…. But where was Jack?

She looked over to the empty place next to her. He must have gone to steer the pearl and had let her sleep in.

Pushing back the covers, Elizabeth moved to the closet to pick out a new dress to wear. Sifting through each of the dresses, Elizabeth finally picked out a light, yellow dress with rose-colored rosebuds on it. It was a new dress Jack must have brought up from below deck.

After changing into the gown, she moved over to a mirror and examines her hair. It was sitting nicely today and she didn't really feel like putting the effort it took to put up her hair. Combing through her waves with her fingers, she decided to leave it be.

She then slipped on her shoes and left the cabin in search for her Jack.

And of course, she found him.

"Ello Love!" Jack called from the crow's nest above her, before quickly jumping down in front of her.

"Ah!" Elizabeth screamed, startled, earning a chuckle from Jack. "Jack you scared me!"

"Good…" Jack said slyly, before kissing her on the forehead. "How'd you sleep?"

"Comfortably…" Elizabeth smiled coyly, leaning in and peaking him on the lips.

"Like the hair, by the way, darling. You should wear it like that more often…" Jack said stepping back, and looking at her appraisingly.

Elizabeth blushed slightly at this, realizing, secretly, that she had hoped he would say that…

"So what now Jack?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do we do know?" Elizabeth asked again.

"Well I have some ideas…" Jack said closing her in his embrace again.

"No…" Elizabeth giggled as he began to kiss the side of her face, "What do we do about Beckett?"

"Oh." Jack said, with disappointment, making a little pout face. "Well we keep sailing, and we hope he doesn't track us down."

"That's it. There's nothing else we can do in the mean time?" Elizabeth said, looking directly into his coal black eyes.

"I already told you my ideas on the subject…" Jack gave her a roguish smile and kissed her deeply on the mouth.

Elizabeth pulled him closer to her, kissing him back, feeling his arms wind possessively around her waist.

"Lizzie…" Jack said, hovering over her mouth.

"I love you…" Elizabeth said, taking Jack by surprise. She had said the words…

"Me too, darling, me too…" Jack smile sweetly, kissing her once more, holding her tightly to him.

She rested her head on his chest, listening contently to his heartbeat…Heartbeat...why did that remind her of something…

"Jack…" Elizabeth said softly, moving her hand lightly on his chest as he kissed her hair.

"Yes, my love." Jack whispered, caressing her long neck with light kisses.

"What's in the boxes?"

* * *

Review!


	21. Chapter 21

Jack chuckled against her skin, making her shiver. "Great job, Lizzie, you really know how to ruin a moment?"

"Well? Tell me!" Elizabeth said looking at him intently in his eyes, as he released her.

"Umm…. no." Jack teased, sauntering away to stand by the rail.

"Jack…" Elizabeth whined.

"Elizabeth…" Jack mimicked.

"Please! Why is it a secret?" She insisted, tapping his shoulder trying to get his attention, each time having him turn away.

"Because I want it to, that's why!" Jack said stubbornly.

"Oh! Great excuse Jack! Right up there with the "I'm captain Jack Sparrow" one!" Elizabeth imitated him by doing his swagger and making frantic hand motions" Oh please…" Elizabeth rolled her eyes, getting more and more irritated.

"This coming from little miss priss! 'I can tell you I probably would have chosen a man with better manners and hygiene!" Jack pranced around deck, then pretended to swoon, with a hand over his eyes.

"Uh!" Elizabeth said angry, storming up to him. _How can a conversation go so wrong…_

"Right back at you love!" Jack said also annoyed.

"You are so frustrating!!!!" Elizabeth said stomping her foot.

"Oh, now you're going to have a tantrum, huh?" Jack said moving closer to her, with an angry glint in his eyes.

"No! You're the one who is acting ridiculous!" Elizabeth moved closer also, her chin high in the air, arrogantly.

"Am not!" Jack protested

"Oh really? What do you call that little episode that happened a minute ago? A ballet performance?" Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"What about you, Miss Swann!" Jack said the title with a sharp tongue. "I don't see you apologizing for imitating me? "

"Huh! Who would have thought that declarations of love could turn into a fight?" Elizabeth almost shouted, aggravated by the turn their conversation had headed.

Jack remained silent after this, thinking how ridiculous they were acting.

"Jack? Are you even listening to me?" Elizabeth snapped as he began to walk toward her. "Jack…"

But she was cut off by his mouth capturing hers in a long kiss, thoughts of their fight completely gone from their minds.

* * *

"Hello Will!" Nicole said excitedly from her bed as Will entered her cabin.

"Oh, good your up!" Will said with a smile, walking over to her side. "I thought you might want to me the rest of the 'crew'. "

"You mean…Elizabeth and Jack Sparrow?" Nicole moved to get her feet off of the bed, ready to stand up.

"Yes… Is that alright?" Will asked.

"Oh! Yes, I just wanted to make sure it's fine with you!" Nicole said trying to get up from her bed.

"Here," Will said offering his hand, "Let me help."

"Thank you." Nicole said, once again grateful for Will's kindness.

"Good." Will said will a smile once she was standing on her own. "I'll leave you to get ready. There's a dress over there that Elizabeth gave me to give to you. I see you in a little while." Will said with a smile, and elegantly took her hand, bestowing a light kiss on the back of it.

Nicole gasped, astonished. She then blushed as she noticed his eyes on her.

"I'll be right out." She said just above a whisper, feeling the most vulnerable she had ever felt in her whole life.

And with that Will left her to get dressed. She noticed that the dress she had been given was one of a cream color with little blue flowers patterned all over it. She very much liked the dress, and instantly thought better of Elizabeth. She was looking forward to meeting her and the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow.

With a chuckle, Nicole slipped the dress over her head, and quickly ran her fingers through her bangs to adjust them.

Now ready, she decided to abandon her cabin and go find Will. But to her surprise he was outside, leaning against the wall outside her cabin door, waiting for her.

"Ready?" He asked, slowly walking towards her.

"Of course." She said with a bright smile, her eyes just peering out underneath her bangs.

Will took her hand and helped her go down the steps towards the mess where Jack and Elizabeth were waiting for them.

Pushing open the door, Nicole was surprised as to what she found. There was a table all set up for 4, with lily flowers in the middle. And as to the couple that stood before her, they were exactly as she expected them to be.

Jack Sparrow was tall, with a large mass of dreadlocks upon his head, and a swagger in his step. Elizabeth, the girl she had heard so much of, was a slim, tall, young woman with golden hair, and a teasing smile.

They stood together in front of the table, Jack's arm around Elizabeth's waist, anxious to meet the new addition to their party.

"Hello their love, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Welcome to the Black Pearl." He said with a friendly smile.

Nicole smiled back shyly. _It was weird the effect Will was having on her. She had never been shy in her life. Maybe it was because she had opened up to him so much…because she trusted him so much…_

Nicole then looked over at the woman that stood near by…

Elizabeth smiled at the new girl. There was a charm that she had that made Elizabeth feel instantly that they would soon be very good friends.

"It's nice to meet you Nicole. Will told me about you and I was most anxious to meet you myself." Elizabeth moved forward, towards the other couple across from Jack and her. Elizabeth didn't fail to notice that they were still holding hands.

Nicole blushed and glanced up at Will, meeting his eyes before they both looked away. " Thank you. I have wanted to meet you as well. "

"Shall we sit?" Jack asked politely, motioning to the lovely set up they had made.

Will nodded and they all sat down, each on their appropriate sides, Jack with Elizabeth and Will with Nicole, none of them making any protests.

"This is nice." Said Elizabeth sweetly, looking at Jack lovingly, and then smiling at the couple across from her.

"Yes it is…" Will said, looking at Nicole with his chocolate eyes.

Nicole tried to suppress a smile but couldn't, and was surprised when Will took her hand under the table.

Little did they know the couple across from them was doing the same thing.

* * *

"I like her, don't you?" Elizabeth asked Jack as they walked into their cabin.

"She's sweet and funny, what's not to like?" Jack said as he threw his jacket and hat on his desk.

Elizabeth glared at him.

"What I meant to say is, Will is a lucky man." Jack said with an innocent smile as they walked into their bedroom.

"That's more like it." Elizabeth said, now satisfied. " And yes, I am very happy for him."

"And now we don't have to worry about hurting him all the time. We can kiss wherever and whenever were want!" Jack said leaning towards her, and claiming her lips.

"And since when has that ever stopped you?" Elizabeth teased.

"Good point." Jack smirked

Elizabeth took her nightdress out of the closet and went behind the screen to change. When she came back out can was wearing the same old shirt and pants he had worn the night before. Elizabeth was staring to really appreciate them.

"So what do you wish to do tomorrow my little pirate?" Jack teased as she climbed into bed next to him.

"I'm not sure…" Elizabeth pondered.

"I have a couple ideas you know…" Jack hinted.

"Like what?"

"Like this…" Jack said, drawing her close to him one again, this time being even more passionate with his kiss. Elizabeth's head began to get dizzy and she could barely think anything…anything but him…

"Jack" She moaned as he began to plunder her neck with his mouth as he had done before.

Jack continued to kiss her neck, slowly moving his mouth lower and lower…

"Jack…" Elizabeth said trying to catch his attention.

Jack continued to kiss her, his mouth making a slow descent.

"Jack!" Elizabeth finally managed to get out, realizing where this all could lead.

"What?" Jack asked innocently surprised.

"Jack I can't…" Elizabeth said shyly…

"Oh…I see…" Jack said hurt. Did she not love him? Was she lying? Was she purposing doing this because she wished for someone else?

"I'm sorry… but this is how I've been raised…I have morals, Jack, that I'm not willing to lose…" She whispered quietly.

Jack just nodded, still not fully understanding… If she truly loves me back, why is she acting this way?

"What I'm trying to say, Jack, is that I want to wait till I'm married…" Elizabeth finally uttered out, sensing the awkwardness of the situation.

"Of course…" Jack said. His voice was distant, silently wondering if she did want someone else…if she wished to marry someone else…if she wished to be with someone else for the rest of her life…if he wasn't good enough for her….

"Thank you." She said with a smile before kissing his check and resting her head on his chest, falling into a sound sleep.

Jack did not sleep however, but just stared up at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts, wondering if she was lying to him, and if he ever could truly make her his…forever…

Looking down at her, Jack noticed something that he hadn't since the first day they had met.

The necklace.

A strange shell-necklace with a black pearl encased in the shell. The necklace that looked like the sea it's self, the necklace that she never explained to him. Just like his ring…

How had she gotten it? He had completely forgot… She had never told him… She was still hiding something…

Whoa, whoa, Jack. Get a hold of your self. She could have just forgot… you did after all!

Jack took a deep breath, trying to not think the worst of his Elizabeth, even though he could sense that she was hiding something.

He leaned down to kiss the crown of her head and vowed to himself that he would ask her about the necklace someday…

"Tomorrow…" He uttered s he slowly drifted off to sleep, "Tomorrow…"

* * *

Don't forget to Review!!


	22. Chapter 22

A/n- I know it's been extremely long, but I won't make any excuses… Here's a new chapter. The ending is most definitely on the horizon.

* * *

"Alright Captain Sparrow, prepare to feel defeat!" Elizabeth yelled proudly from above him.

Opening his eyes suddenly, Jack saw Elizabeth standing over him, wearing a rose colored dress that was pulled up and tucked into her belt in the front, revealing her bloomers underneath. His hat sat upon her head and a sword hung at her hip.

"What?" He asked drowsily as he lean up on his elbows.

"Come on sleepy head!!" She insisted as she pulled open the curtains to reveal a bright, Caribbean summer day.

"Bloody hell!" Jack cried aggravated, throwing the pillow over his head to shield his eyes and to drown out her voice.

"Come on!!" Elizabeth said impatiently, tapping her foot.

"See, this is why it's bad to have a woman on board…" he groaned, squinting up at her.

"Well you'll just have to get used to it." She said with a pleasant smile. "Now. I am ready for my dueling lesson. Or should I say your dueling lesson. I think today might just be the day I whip you!" She said playfully.

"We'll see about that…" Jack smirked, finally getting up.

* * *

"No Fair!!!" Jack protested, looking down at Elizabeth's blade pointed at his throat. Elizabeth had tripped him down the stairs and then come upon him, pointing her sword at his neck. " You are suppose to help the other swordsman when they fall, not take advantage of them!!"

"Pirate." She said with a smirk.

Jack grinned back at her, "Aye. I should have guessed."

Elizabeth replaced her sword at her side and then put out her hands to help Jack up.

"Thanks love." He replied, noticing the necklace dangling from her neck. "Lizzie, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," She said gently, brushing his cheek with her hand

"Where did you get that necklace?"

Stunned, Elizabeth glanced down at the pendant that seemed to have forever clung to her neck. Where had that come from? She recalled the strange dream that some how seemed to be true…. But what about the necklace? Did that have anything to do with it? How was she going to explain the whole situation to Jack? That she had dreamt of an alternate life? That it was real and yet somehow everything had changed? That they had lived separate lives? That there was no "they"….

"I don't really know…" She said hesitantly, fingering the necklace in her hands.

"Really Lizzie…" Jack grimaced, looking away from her, down at the floor. "You don't have to lie to me."

"I'm not! I told you I don't know!" She pleaded

"Do you not trust me, is that it?" Jack Said looking up from his shoes into her eyes.

"Of course not! How can you even think that after all we have been through?" She cried, walking slowly towards him.

"How can I not!" He shouted back, getting upset. "You've been lying to me all of this time, ever since we first met! You've been hiding something all of this time, I can sense it. Why can't you just trust me? I know I'm a worthless pirate, but don't I at least deserve the truth!!! From you of all people!!!"

Elizabeth just stared at him, her eyes slowly welling up with tears.

"Please Jack…" She murmured, as a tear slide down her cheek.

"Tell me…. Tell me the truth… How did you really know me when we met? Was it really just my reputation?" Jack said emotionally, his heart breaking inside at the sight of her tears.

Elizabeth looked away, feeling the strength of his stare on her. She could feel him looking directly into her soul.

"Of course not… I should have know…" Jack learned from her eyes,

"Jack…" Elizabeth sobbed, reaching out for him, only to have him turn away.

"Do you even love me Elizabeth?" Jack said vulnerably gazing out at the sea to avoid her eyes.

Elizabeth gasped. _Love…._

"Of course I do Jack." Elizabeth placed her hand on his face, turning his head slowly so that his eyes locked on hers.

"How can I even believe you anymore? You've lied to be about everything…" Jack murmured, pulling her hand from his face. He then retreated to his cabin, though not before he took a glance back at the crying woman he had just left behind.

* * *

"Shall I signal the start?" Norrington asked the weak captain next to him.

Jack hissed through his teeth, feeling the pain from the deep wound at his side. "Aye."

Norrington made a hand gesture and Will began to raise the flag, following his lead, all of the other ships began to raise theirs as well.

"Load the cannons, prepare to fire." Norrington ordered, walking by a row of men by cannons.

Looking back at where he last stood, James saw Jack leaning on the rail, holding onto it for dear life.

"Sparrow? Something wrong with you man?" Norrington asked, somewhat concerned.

"I'm fine." Jack managed to utter out. "Just getting a bit old…Weak bones and what not…"

"Fine. I'll take your word for it…"

"Jack, if there is something truly wrong, maybe it would be best if you stood out on this one. I'm sure we can manage without you." Will chimed in, walking up behind Norrington

"No…No." Jack whispered. "I have to do this." He then began to walk away in the opposite direction.

Concern flooded both James and Will's faces, but they knew Jack could not be persuaded once he decided to do something.

Closing his eyes in pain, Jack saw Elizabeth, tears falling down her face, her voice pleading with him. He heard his voice say that he couldn't believe a word she was saying, and then…

"_Do you even love me?"_

"_Of course I do!"_

"Jack!!! Watch out!!"

Jack opens his eyes a just barely moves in time to avoid a large cannon headed in his direction. Looking over to see who had warned him, Jack saw no other but William Turner.

"Thanks Mate!!" He yelled over the ciaos that was ensuing.

Will smiled, "No problem!! Just stay alert! We're in a battle here!"

Then suddenly, a soldier flew over the railing almost knocking over Will.

"I could tell you the same thing!!" Jack yelled with a chuckle, then limped over to the railing, grabbed a rope, and flew onto the other ship.

Elizabeth continued to sob uncontrollably, pacing back in forth by the rail. What was she going to do? She couldn't tell Jack about the dream; it might make him think that she was mad! But she couldn't make up another story either… She didn't want to lie to him. Ever. Again.

Then, Elizabeth began to hear a steady thump coming up behind her.

"Well if it isn't Miss Starling…." Davy Jones spurted out.

Elizabeth turned quickly in surprise to face the tentacled man before her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked warily.

"Why to visit you of course! Not where is the other love bird…" Davy chuckled, while his crew began to appear around them.

"Jack!!!!" Elizabeth screamed, scared by all of the monsters now surrounding them. Two sea creatures then reached out and restrained her from running away.

Hearing the noise, both Jack and Will rushed up on deck to see what was the matter. Nicole did not, however, because Will made her stay below deck, in case of major danger.

"Ah…Here he is…" Jones snarled, turning towards the new arrivals

Jack grimaced as he came on deck. There was Davy Jones, on his ship, and Elizabeth was being held his captive.

"Oh, and theirs another one on board as well. You really do like to string them along now don't ya, Miss Starling. Let me guess… Is your name Snowy Owl?" Jones cackled, followed by his crew joining in.

"No. Actually it's Turner…" Will said not amused, then whispered to Jack, "Starling? Really? That's the best you could come up with?"

"Turner…" Davy Jones chuckled, turning to the man on his left with a large starfish by his eye.

"Dad?" Will asked incredulously.

"William…" Bill gasped, now recognizing him, "So you turned out a pirate after all."

Davy then interrupted their reunion by turning the attention to Jack.

"So how are you Jack…" Davy asked walking over to him. "How is it between the love birds? Your girl over there wouldn't tell me a thing… " Davy teased, sensing Jack's discomfort.

Jack looked over to Elizabeth, brows pulled together, not being able to met her frantic searching eyes.

"What? Troubles in paradise? Well that's what I figured. Love," Jones spat in disgust, "is a horrible thing. Worse than death… in fact…" Davy snapped his claw and the two creatures holding Elizabeth pulled her neck back, one holing up their sword to her throat.

"Jack!!!" Elizabeth cried desperately, finally meeting his eyes.

"Remember that deal ye made with me, Jack. That Calypso must never be release so as not to cause me pain. I can do almost the same favor for you…." Davy said darkly, glancing between Jack and Elizabeth. Jack's face crinkled briefly in confusion. "All the pain she causes you… I can make it all go away. Just one quick slice, and her life will be over…"

Will looked desperately at Jack. "Jack! Do something! Surely you're not seriously considering this!!!"

Jack just stared blankly into space then turned to leave.

"Alright, Mercer…" Davy signaled

"Jack!!!!!!" Elizabeth screamed, tears again streaming down her face.

Jack turned around to face her once more and locked onto her eyes.

"STOP!!!" He shouted angrily, shoving aside the sea creature holding the sword.

Elizabeth escaped from the monster's grasps and ran into Jack's arms, her tears quickly staining his white shirt.

Davy Jones just chuckled as his crew began to disappear in the mist.

" Remember your promise Jack…" was all he said until he too faded into the mist.

"Dad!!" Will yelled after him, but not have a chance to truly speak to his father.

"Jack…Oh jack…" Elizabeth cried over and over, hugging him tightly, until she noticed his hold on her relax.

"You safe now, that's all that matters…" Jack said, separating them, and holding her at arms length.

"But…" She protested

"Night Elizabeth…" Jack said with a weak smile before he left once more for his cabin and Elizabeth heard the click of his door's lock.


	23. Chapter 23

A/n- Two to three chapters left!!

* * *

Davy Jones was but a few feet away from him. He's side of the promise was still being held up. Calypso was locked up safely in the hull of the Black Pearl. Something about Jones' scared Jack though, his ominous presence behind him as he battle one of his henchmen, a large blowfish with a shell forming on his back.

Jack knocked the blowfish aside and turned around just in time to stop Jones' sword in the air, right above his head.

"I thought we had a deal?" Jack grimaced, the pain in his side making it harder to fight

"Oh we do, Jack…"Davy spited out, pressing harder down on his sword so that Jack was leaning back against the railing.

Jack gave Jones' a confused look, before Davy Jones pushed him off the side of his ship.

Jack screamed, surprised as he fell threw the air, and then took a hold of a rope that was hanging nearby.

"Thanks Mate!" Jack shouted up at the tentacled man with a smirk as he swung over to Beckett's ship.

Jack landed safely on the deck of the enemies' ship, swaggering a bit to regain his balance. Jack smiled at another great escape.

"Well, if it isn't Jack Sparrow…"

The smile immediately wiped off of Jack's face.

"Hello Beckett…"

* * *

Will clashed his sword against an officer, making a quick slice at the man's arm, causing a sound scratch to appear. The soldier collapsed in pain, clutching his arm tightly as Will turned around to face his next opponent.

"Father…" Will uttered, remembering the face of the man in front of him.

Bootstrap didn't hear him and attached quickly, startling Will who barely avoided his sword.

"Father!"

"William…." Bill said, finally recognizing him.

"What has happened to you? The last time I saw you…" Will asked, thinking back. Wait…He had only seen his father once…several years ago…

"William…You must get out of here…. Its not safe…"Bootstrap said compassionately worried about his son.

"I'm not leaving…. I'm not leaving you…"Will vowed.

Bootstrap sighed, and pulled Will over out of battle.

"This is not what I wanted for you. You were supposed to have so much more than me…"Bill said, his eyes desperate.

"Father…This isn't your fault…it was just meant to happen. I was born a pirate and I will die one, now or otherwise…"

Bootstrap chuckled darkly, "Very well…You're too much like myself, you know?"

Will smiled at his father, and patted his shoulder before turning around to plunge back into battle. But before he did, Will's eyes noticed someone in the sunlight, brown hair blowing in the wind.

"Nicole?" He whispered in disbelief as he walked up the stairs slowly to where she stood.

"Hello stranger…" Nicole smirked, with he hand on her hip. "Missed me?"

* * *

In distress, Elizabeth walked back and forth on the deck of the Black Pearl, silently cursing herself.

How could she have let this happen? She should have been honest with Jack!!!

Elizabeth screamed angrily, looking up at the sky as tears began to fall down her face.

She brushed them away quickly because they were signs of her defeat. How could she have let this happen?

Stopping her pacing, Elizabeth rested her arms on the ships railing, watching the lonely sunset. She glanced back over her shoulder at Jack's locked cabin.

Maybe she should just go apologize? But would he believe her?

"I don't think he will ever trust me again…"Elizabeth cried into her hands.

She looked up and noticed that the sun was almost all gone and now stars were starting to appear above her.

She had no clue how she was ever going to patch things up with Jack. Everything had been so perfect, until it all disappear.

"I hate this stupid necklace!" Elizabeth screamed, pulling at the pendent roughly. The necklace had ruined everything!

Elizabeth looked up at the sky, the stars blurring as fresh tears fell out of her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Jack…" Elizabeth muttered sadly, looking back at the cabin door.

Tears continued to stream out of her eyes as she rocked back and forth, starting to panic.

"What am I going to do!" She said madly out loud, talking to herself.

Starting to shake, Elizabeth pulled the infuriating necklace off angrily and tossed it into the sea in one fluid moment.

Colors spun all around her until finally, she fell to the deck, everything going black.

* * *

"So, Jack Sparrow…"

"Captain…" Jack insisted

"It's going to be quite an honor to kill the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow!" Beckett taunted, drawing out his sword.

Jack drew in a large breath, placing his hand over his wound, noticing that he was bleeding through his shirt. "You're not going to have that honor, Beckett…" He growled, pointing out his sword. "Come to think of it, I think your sentence ought to be reversed…"

"I disagree…" Beckett said sliding his sword against Jack's own.

"Oh! I guess you are right… I wouldn't go as far as saying _honor_…."

Beckett attacked first, roughly jabbing his sword just past Jack's left ear. Jack blocked his attacks fairly easily, clutching his side the whole time.

"So, Jack…How's you whore? Good?" Beckett said evilly, trying to angry his opponent.

Jack hit violently at Beckett after his insult, making Beckett move backwards with each blow.

"Don't you dare talk about Elizabeth that way!" He shouted, making a cut in Beckett's side, very much like his own.

Pain over came Jack as Beckett manage to do the same this, slicing his wound deeper. He clutched at his stomach in agony as he collapsed to his knees in front of Beckett.

"It's been a pleasure knowing you Jack…." Beckett said, lifting his sword, ready.

Jack noticed his sword next to him on the deck. With one more look full of hated, Jack reached out to grasp his sword.

"I wish I could say the same…." Jack muttered, before stabbing Beckett squarely in the chest, a permanent look of surprise now on Beckett's face.

Still on his knees, Jack slowly got up. Smoke surrounded him everywhere, cries of victory filled his ears, and still he felt empty inside. The clang of his sword rang in his ears as it dropped to the floor.

None of this mattered. She still hadn't come back.

Darkness began to surround him as he feel to the ground in exhaustion, blood from his side pouring out onto the wooden floorboards. He eyes began to flutter shut as he heard indistinct voices coming over to him, their faces just as unrecognizable.

Then, she was there. Her beautiful eyes staring back at him, golden hair flowing softly in the soft breeze. And then she was gone.

* * *

Shifting uncomfortably, Elizabeth awoke to an unfamiliar place. Odd jars and baubles hung from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows in the candlelight.

_Where am I?_

"Ah! So I de you woke up…" A slightly familiar voice called from behind her. Elizabeth looked around to see a woman with thick dreadlocks and a tattered brown dress. "Ye've had quite de adventure…"

"Who are you? What are you talking about?" Elizabeth asked, confused.

"Ye don't remember me?" The women asked, tilting her head to the side.

Recognition flew into Elizabeth's mind, "I believe I do…but how?"

"Come here." The woman motioned for her to sit by her at her table, "Let me explain to ye a few dings."

* * *

"What happened?" Gibbs asked, rushing over when he saw Will, Bootstrap and several others lifting Jack onto the ship.

"He defeated Beckett…" Will explained, "The war's over…"

"What happened to Jack then?" Gibb's asked confused.

"It would seem that his injury got the best of him…" Bootstrap said, pointing out the ghastly cut on their captain's side.

"He's lost a lot of blood. I take care of it…Don't worry." Nicole said from behind Will's shoulder. They all then moved the unconscious captain into his cabin.

"Lizzie…" He murmured in his sleep, as they set him down on this bed, "Why?"

Nicole gave Will a concerned look, before beginning to tend to the wound. "Poor, poor, man…"

* * *

"Father, what are you going to do?" Will asked, concerned. His father was soon to return to the Flying Dutchman and there was a big chance that he would never see him again.

"Didn't you hear, son?" Bootstrap furrowed his brow, "Anyone who has the heart can command Jones' to do what ever he or she wants."

With a sly grin on his face, Bootstrap lifted up a sack containing a very alive heart.

"You mean?"

"What do you say to traveling the seas with your old man, will?" Bill smiled happily at his son.

Will pulled his father into a hug, causing Bill to chuckle.

"I'd like to get to know that girl of yours as well…"Bill said, lifting his eyebrows.

Will and his father just laughed and Bootstrap clapped his son on the shoulder.

"Don't worry…I approve."

* * *

Review!!!! ;)


	24. Chapter 24

Jack shifted anxiously in his sleep, frightening dreams plaguing him.

_"Remember that deal ye made with me, Jack. That Calypso must never be release so as not to cause me pain. I can do almost the same favor for you. All the pain she causes you, I can make it all go away. Just one quick slice, and her life will be over…"_

_He looked over to see a very frightened Elizabeth looking at him with pleading eyes. "Jack…Please…"_

"_Alright…" Davy said, signaling to him men._

_The man's sword cut swiftly across her neck, Elizabeth letting out a loud shriek of pain before falling deathly silent, her body limply falling to the deck as her blood pooled out around her._

"NO!!!" Jack shouted, sitting up in bed quickly, before hissing in pain because of his side.

"Here…"Nicole said, helping him lie back down as she patted a moist cloth on his forehead. "Your fever seems to have broke." She said, trying to make conversation.

Jack looked up at her and noticed who was speaking.

_It wasn't Elizabeth. Of course not. Why do you still keep getting your hopes up?_

Jack just shifted so that he was facing away from her, looking out the open window, noticing that it was daytime.

"I'm sorry Jack…" Nicole said compassionately.

"You don't get it. No one does…" Jack mumbled into his pillow, barely loud enough for her to hear.

Nicole decided that it was probably best not to argue with him or upset him now that he was finally awake.

"You've been out stone cold for about 4 days now. How are you feeling?" Nicole said, picking up the cloth and some other supplies.

"You're the one who just told me I've been out for four days, how well do you bloody think I am?" Jack growled, finally looking her in the eye. He then rested his head back on the pillow, looking out at the sea again.

"You must be starving. Can I get you anything?" Nicole said, her hand on the doorknob.

"Lizzie…" He mumbled

"Jack?"

"Rum…"

"Jack, I'm not so sure you should be having any…" Nicole warned. He had after all just been ill for four days.

"I said rum, now go!" Jack shouted angrily, and then looked out at the window one more.

_His Lizzie was gone for good now. Gone forever._

_

* * *

_

The Pearl docked in Tortuga a few weeks after the battle, after disposing of Barbossa on some miserable spit of land. Thanks to the lack of orders from their captain, the crew had decided that a trip to Tortuga was much needed. It might just cheer up their captain as well.

They had been in Tortuga for at least three days, and Jack had still not ventured out of his cabin yet.

"Captain?" Gibbs called warily to him as he knocked on the cabin door.

Gibbs just heard a groan in response and decided to brave coming in.

"Bloody hell Gibbs! Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Jack called from the bed on which he was still lying.

"Come on Jack. You haven't been out of this cabin for nearly a month now. It's about time you came out…"

Jack just responded by pulling the cork out of another rum bottle with his teeth. A pile of empty bottles now was accumulating next to his bed.

"Oh, come on Jack! I hate to see you all cooked up like this! Come out on the town with me. I'll buy you all the drinks you want?" Gibbs said finally, causing Jack to finally rise from the bed.

Jack swaggered a bit more that usual as he stood up and pulled on his jacket and hat. "Fine. But just because you're buying…."

They both sat down at a small table near the back of "The Drunken Wench." It had been rebuilt since the fire so many years ago, and was now one of the busiest joints in town. One of the women who worked there walked over to them carrying their drinks.

"Well, if it isn't Jack Sparrow…"Giselle cooed before slapping him on the cheek, causing Jack to grimace.

"Did you deserve that one?" Gibbs said with a smirk, before it was wiped clean when he noticed Jack's facial expression.

"Go away Giselle…." Jack whispered taking a drink from his mug.

"Where's that girl of yours, Jack? Got rid of her already?" Giselle said, sitting on his lap, ignoring his comment. Jack just gulped down his rum, ignoring the woman on his lap. "So, Jack. What do you say to visiting me tonight? I know I'll make it worth you while?" Giselle played with the dangles on his chin seductively. "I'm much better than that stupid whore you were with last time…"

"I said, go away!" Jack shouted, slightly influenced by the large consumption of alcohol he had been drinking lately. He then shoved her off his lap onto the floor, causing the whole pub to go silent. "Come on Gibbs, lets get out of here…" Jack said heatedly, tossing a coin violently on the table and taking his mug of rum with them as they left the building.

'Sorry' Gibbs mouthed to the owner as they left, shutting the door behind them. He then had to walk very quickly to catch up with Jack.

"Jack!"

"I should have never have gone there…"

"What? Jack, why? What was that all about?" Gibbs asked confused.

Jack just shook his head and picked up pace. Gibbs ran and tugged on his arm so that Jack turned to face him.

"She was talking about Eliz…." Jack gulped painfully, "I just shouldn't have gone there…"

* * *

Then next night, Jack decided to visit a different pub instead. It was small and on the way far edge of town, so Jack knew he wouldn't run into any unpleasant memories there. It was a pretty shabby establishment, but for his purposes, Jack didn't care. He just wanted to get good and drunk, so maybe he could forget, just for a little while.

"Jack?" Someone called behind him. Jack was, however, to slammed to care. He just gulped down another glass of rum.

"Jack?" The voice called again, closer this time.

"What?" He exclaimed, annoyed.

"Jack…" The Voice whispered, giving him a hug from behind, and then kissing him on the cheek.

He drew away in disgust. How dare this person. "Your not My Lizzie…" He said out loud with disgust.

"Am I not?" The Voice teased slightly, the person sitting in his lap now.

"No!" Jack said in protest. The Voice caught his face in her hands and he locked eyes with her. "Lizzie?"

Elizabeth smiled down at him and brushed her fingers fondly over his face. "I've been looking everywhere for you…"

"I don't believe you. Besides, you can't be Lizzie. She's gone. Forever…." He said with a loud sigh, gulping down the rest of his mug, before raising it in the air to ask for another one.

Elizabeth stood up from his lap in disbelief. What had happened to him when she was gone?

"I'm so sorry Jack. I never should have left. I didn't do it on purpose even. It was Tia Dalma! She sent me back so that you would make the deal with Davy Jones!"

"Likely story, but I still don't believe your really Elizabeth. You're a very good imitation though, you've got it right down to the small freckle right by your nose…" Jack said drunkenly, pointing at the freckle.

"How's this for imitation…" Elizabeth said, trying another attempt as she sat back down on his lap and kissed him deeply, before drawing back.

"I'm not convinced. You always did like to torment me…" Jack said his eyes still closed.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes when she noticed that Jack had fallen asleep.

"This is going to take a lot of explaining…" She mumbled as she dragged him out of the bar.

* * *

Jack woke up with a pounding headache. He opened one eye warily, wondering where he had ended up. To his shock, he saw he was in his own cabin. Something tickled him under his nose and he noticed a blob of golden hair lying on his chest.

_Elizabeth? When had she come back? Had it really been…? No…it couldn't have possibly been…_

He reached down a hand cautiously a poked the sleeping person, causing her to nuzzle up again him.

He let out a sigh of relief. It really was her. He stroked his hand lovingly through here hair, thinking back to the awful dream he had had a few nights earlier. What if they had come true?

He also though back to the night before and the whole imitation thing.

"Bloody imitation…" Jack grimaced, thinking of how he had appeared to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth groaned in her sleep and turned so that she faced him, a sleepy smile on her lips, "Morning!"

"Morning love…" Jack said kissing her.

"Don't you mean Imitation?" Elizabeth teased, sitting up.

"Of bugger. Really? Are you really going to bring that up?" Jack said rolling his eyes.

"Of course!" Elizabeth smiled, tugging on of the dangles on his beard.

"I missed you Lizzie…" Jack said, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

"I know." She said proudly, a smile on her lips. "Me too!" She leaned in to kiss him on the lips.

"So, you've been up to quite a lot these past few months haven't you?" Jack said while pulling her closer to him, both hands on her waist.

"Yes. Fixing up our past, as it were. What have you been doing?" Elizabeth leaned her head on his shoulder, and wrapped her arms around his waist as well.

"Well, besides battling to save the pirates from final destruction…nothing!"

"What!" Elizabeth looked up at him in shook.

"Oh yeah, love. Defeated Lord Cutler Beckett myself!" He said proudly, and then lifted his shirt so that she could see his scar.

"He did this to you?" Elizabeth said angrily, running her fingers gently across the scar.

"Well, half of it. He just mad it deeper. Now Barbossa…"

"I'm going to kill him…" Elizabeth growled.

"No need, darling. We already marooned him."

Elizabeth smiled sadly up at him and Jack did the same, running his hand along the side of her face.

"Anything big I missed in the past?" Jack questioned.

"Well you missed one hell of a fight, between us, I mean…." She said sadly, messing with his shirt to avoid his eyes.

"Oh, I remember…" Jack said, taking her hand in his to stop her from playing with his shirt.

"You do?"

"Yep. It seems so pointless now. I know what the necklace did and I know that you love me…." Jack froze. "You do love me, don't you?"

Elizabeth just smiled at him and pulled his head down into a passionate kiss. "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I love The Captain Jack Sparrow? Do you love me?"

"You bet." He said, lifting her chin up for a soft kiss.

"So what now?"

"Oh, well, I've got a couple ideas…" Jack chuckled roguishly as he kissed her neck and rolled on top of her.

"Jack!" Elizabeth squealed, partly in delight, partly in surprise.

"Go over to my closet." Jack said suddenly, a thought popping into his head.

Elizabeth gave him a curious look, then got off the bed and opened the closet. All of her dresses still hung there, thin layers of dust covering them. They hadn't been moved since the last time she had seen him.

"Jack…" Elizabeth looked back at him in shock.

"In the corner…" He instructed.

She moved the dresses and looked in the corner of the closet, noticing several familiar looking boxes.

She looked back over her shoulder in surprise and then began to open the first box.

Inside the narrow box was a navy blue sheath and blade. Elizabeth pulled out a new sword with a golden handle. Tied onto the handle was a navy blue tassel and engraved on the sword was her initials, ES.

Elizabeth gasped and swung the sword around a bit.

"I thought it might come in handy…the dressmaker, her husband was a blacksmith, he did it up for me." Jack explained sitting up in bed as she sat the sword down and reached to open the next box.

Inside the next box, underneath several large sheets of tissue paper, was a dress made of several different fabrics, but mostly of crème satin. She took it out and examined it closely. It had a very layered skirt full of different ruffles and laces. The dress was sleeveless with lacing going down the front of the bodice. It seemed very old, with several rips and tears along the skirt. It was so beautiful, but yet so different from anything she would have seen back in Port Royal.

"It was my mother's…" Jack said, slowly walking towards her, "Her wedding dress…"

Elizabeth looked up at him in surprise, as he brushed her cheek softly with the back of his hand.

"Do you like it?" Jack asked nervously, trying to read her eyes.

"Oh, Jack…" Elizabeth said, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a hug," I love it. Thank you."

"My mother wore it special when she married my da, thought it was fitting and all…." He mumbled, "It's kind of pirate-y looking and it reminded me of you and it was me mums and…"

"I told you, Jack. I love it. I love that it was your mother's and now you want me to have it." She stood up on her tiptoes and pecked him on the cheek.

"Great! So only one more thing left to do then!" Jack said with a large grin on his face.

"What?" Elizabeth asked, and then was surprised when Jack bent down on one knee.

"How would you like to be Mrs. Captain Jack Sparrow?" He smirked, holding up a ring with one single black pearl in the middle, surrounded by diamonds. He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Oh, Jack…" Elizabeth rolled her eyes, and then leaped on top of him, knocking him down to the floor.

"I guess I take that as a yes!" Jack chuckled, rolling on top of her.

"Yes…" Elizabeth said with a wicked smile.

Jack slipped the ring onto her finger, replacing the green one. He then placed the green one on her other hand.

"Well what do you know? Another ring for your ring collection!"

* * *

A/N- There is a link to a image of what the Wedding Dress looks like on my profile!!! Also, there will be a very long epilogue. That might end up being 1 or 2 chapters. Review if you liked it! Or if you have any suggestions for the epi!


	25. Chapter 25

A/N- First things first, don't hate me. This isn't a traditional, lovey-dovey epilogue. It is more like a very short sequel. I just hate writing sequels, so I decided to make it the epilogue, and it's long. two chapters. Anyways, I hope you like it... Please review after you read this, and tell me what you think. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story in the past. I'm a little sad to see it coming to an end, but all stories must.

Thanks again, and lots of love, Lizzy

* * *

_One year later_

Ciaos was not an uncommon thing when it came to the Brethren Court. Every time that they gathered, whether it be a war or simply to decide if they should redecorate, there was always a disagreement. Say the court decided on blue furnishings. Someone would always be there to say that they preferred red curtains. This day was not an exception. Captain James Norrington, Pirate Lord and King, decided it would be good to set up a meeting after the most recent battle; a sort of truce between all the pirates. Well, that didn't bode well at all.

Gentleman Jocard said he could never sail along side a Frenchman. Capitaine Chevalle said that he considered that a compliment, for he would never wish to sail with a _slave_ anyway. Naturally, all hell broke lose, brother attaching brother, until it was almost too much for Norrington.

"Gentleman! Please!" Norrington said, looking around at them. He noticed that several lords were missing. "Please!" He pleaded again. "Act civilized!" All the pirates continued to fight, completely ignoring their Pirate King. "Just Shut It!"

Everyone turned in surprise towards their king. He never got that angry.

"Now, as I was saying…" Norrington sighed

The loud bang echoed throughout the hall, breaking the extreme silence. Dim light shadowed all of the men's faces as they gathered around, waiting impatiently for their fates. Fear shown on their faces as they looked around the quiet room. They all looked around nervously, looking for the source of the sound. Suddenly, a gunshot rang through the air, hitting a man's mug, and spilling all of its contents onto the floor.

As the smoke cleared, a man with his face hidden in the shadows appeared, his gun still aimed threatening at them.

"What is your business here?" Villanueva stood cautiously from his chair, his eyes fixed still on the mysterious stranger.

The man brushed the smoke out of his way and moved more into the room, still remaining in the shadows. He wore a large brimmed hat, tugged down so that it was concealing most of his face. The man also wore all black, non-descript clothing.

"My business is for my knowledge and mine alone…" The man walked around the table until he reached the large globe. He fingered one of the swords and pulled it, causing it to shoot back to the way is originally was. He then turned suddenly toward them, a golden smirk showing from under the low brim of his hat. "Where are the others? I thought there were suppose to be nine of you?"

The man walked up to Norrington while everyone one in the room eyed him suspiciously.

"Dead. Marooned. They betrayed us, tried to turn us all in. Sadly, they 'misplaced' their pieces of eight." Norrington stated, a frown evident on his face while the stranger circled around him as if inspecting him.

"And what of your Keeper of the code? Has he 'deserted' you as well?" The Man gestured to the empty chair on the opposite side of the table. "Pity…" A flicker of emotion shown across the man's face.

"Now, if you would be so kind as to leave us, now that you are _so well_ informed. I assume that is what you wanted: to get information and then sell it off to the Company on us." James spat at the man, who's back was now to him.

"No. That is not why I came here. I simply wished to ask this kind assembly a favor…" The Man leaned on the table while the court glared at him.

"We give favors to no man." Ammand said under his breath, glared up at the Man.

"Perhaps, you should hear my offer before you decline…"

"We're not interested in any deals." Norrington narrowed his eyes. There was something all to familiar about this stranger.

"It's not a deal, mate, it's more like an…offer." Norrington became more suspicious now after the Man said "mate".

"And what offer would that be?"

"You give me a ship and a crew and I promise you, I will get your 'pieces' back." A golden smile appeared under the brim of the hat as he stood proudly before Norrington.

"And how exactly will you do that?" Chevalle asked, rolling his eyes.

"Mate," The Man smirked, coming more into the light, "I'm-"

"Captain Jack Sparrow…" Norrington said causing the Man to freeze. James yanked off the hat to reveal a man with dreadlocks and a nervous smile.

"Can we please just call it square mate?"

"Truly, I never thought this day would come…Jack Sparrow, basically facing his own funeral…" Will said from behind his desk, while Jack stood before him, his hands locked in irons.

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked with disgust.

"Nicole and I decided to stay here after the battle…What are you doing here?" Will said through his teeth, glaring at the man in front of him.

"You know why I had to do I what I did." Jack stared at him, his gaze unyielding. He decided to ignore his question.

"Ah! Here we go. Tell me all about how you were just trying to do the right thing. I don't buy it, Jack, and neither did Elizabeth."

"Don't you dare bring her into this." Jack warned, leaning towards him.

"I think I will. That's what this is all about, isn't it? You want to get a ship so you can go find her! Tell Elizabeth how much of an idiot you've been and beg her to take you back?" Will leaned his hands on the table. "That's not going to work this time, Jack. It's a lost cause… She's found someone else Jack. You should just give up."

Jack reached over the table and pulled Will into a chokehold. "No. I will never give up. How can I?" He choked out, still holding Will. "No cause is lost, as long as there is still one fool left to fight for it…"

Jack finally let go of him and slumped down in a chair, his head in his hands. "I've lost her…"

Will looked at the crumpled man before him with pity in his eyes. "Why did you betray us anyway?"

Jack looked up at him with clouded eyes. "You wouldn't understand…"

"No. I think I would." Will insisted, looking out his window and Jack followed his eyes. There was Nicole, who waved at Will with a smile before shooting Jack a curious look. "And, besides, it's not like there is any other way you can get yourself out of this mess. Thousands of pirates surround us, and all of them want your head."

"And I owe them all money." Jack said to lighten the mood.

"I bet…" Will chuckled, taking a drink from a glass on his desk.

"Can I have some of that?" Jack held up his chained hands.

"It depends…" Will said, giving him a shifty eye.

"On what?" Jack asked with a confused expression on his face.

"How good your story is…" Will glared at him suspiciously, pulling his drink closer to him. Will then chuckled when he noticed Jack's disappointed face.

"Fine." Jack huffed, leaning back in his chair to make himself more comfortable.

"So tell me what happened…After Elizabeth came back, you both seemed so…content…what happened?"

"Bloody woman and her commitment issues." Jack muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Lets just say, marriage wasn't in the cards for us."

"Why not?"

"Because! That bloody, insane, woman insisted that I would up and leave her any minute! You'd think I'd be the one with commitment issues, but know. Miss Priss didn't like that we married on the Pearl, Miss Priss didn't want to trust Me! After all I've done for her!" Jack shouted.

"I bet she just wanted to make things special and she did trust you. She was just scared to make such a big step with a man who… lets face, Jack… you don't have the best record when it comes to things like this." Will shrugged, pouring a drink for Jack.

"Way to take her side. Not that it's not unexpected…" Jack mumbled until Will shoved a glass at him with a smirk. "Oh! A rewards system! I like the way you think Mr. Turner!"

Will rolled his eyes. "So what happened then?"

"Why are you so interested?" Jack questioned, glaring at him.

"Just trying to clear things up for you, Jack. Wouldn't want to make a mark on your record, now would I?" Will said sarcastically.

"You're a diamond mate." Jack said with a smile. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes. So that bloody, untrusting…"

"Jack…" Will warned, "She is your wife."

"What? She moved things…"Jack pouted.

Will rolled his eyes again. "Go on."

"Right! So, there we were, things still semi-fine and dandy, when all of the sudden my mutinous first mate attacks the Pearl." Jack took a large swig of his rum and slammed it down on the table.

"Barbossa? I though you marooned him?" Nicole asked, confused, coming into the cabin.

"Oh, I did! I knew I should of shot him when I had the chance…" Jack said darkly. "Anyways," He shouted, quickly changing the mood, "He had somehow escaped that island and gathered up his own crew, about twice the size of me own. I quickly locked Lizzie in me cabin, much to her disapproval, and then I went up to fight with me men. We fought long and hard, but in the end the ship was taken. _We_ were marooned on an Island, but Lizzie was still on the boat. I had lost the Pearl and me bonnie lass all in one day…."

"Wait, I don't understand…" Will started, as he pulled Nicole into his lap. " If that's all that happened, why did Elizabeth come to me all angry."

"Lizzie came here?" Jack's head shot up. "You've seen her?"

"A while back, right after you betrayed us…"Nicole glared daggers at Jack. She had talked to Elizabeth and Nicole had seen with her own eyes how much Elizabeth had suffered after the battle.

"I did it to save her." Jack admitted, a bit above a whisper.

"What?" Will chimed in, letting go of Nicole.

"The East India Trading Company found us on the island and held us all captive. Turns out they had captured the Pearl as well. I made a deal with them that I would give them the pirates that killed Cutler Beckett if they freeded me and Lizzie. Thing is though, Barbossa happened to mention the fact that I killed Becket to the Officer right after I gave them the location of Shipwreck's cove. Elizabeth and I were already on the island, planning to make our escape. We were in battle before I knew it, and I was the one held responsible. Not only were all on the navy after me, but my fellow pirates as well. That put Elizabeth in danger as well. I had to do something. So…" Jack looked up at the couple before him, his eyebrows wrinkled together. "I left."

"And what about Elizabeth?" Nicole asked concerned.

"Arrested. Charged for associating herself with pirates. Don't worry she escaped."

"I heard you were dead…" Will admitted.

"How else do you kill a legend, but by creating a new one…" Jack motioned to his hat.

"And how do you do that?"

Jack just chuckled at this and lifted his hands to show that he no longer wore the shackles.

Will looked at him in astonishment.

"Will you help me get my ship back?" Jack asked walking towards the door.

"What for?" Nicole questioned.

"How else am I going to get me wife back?"

* * *

Wind blew through the tresses of her long golden hair. She watched the sea bob up and down, the sun reflecting in each wave.

The crow's nest was her favorite place. Her sanctuary, if you will. Now that she was a part of a real pirate crew, life was a lot harder than she had expected. She joined Captain Avery's crew only a month ago. They had sailed all over, pillaging and plundering for new treasure. Who knows where their next stop might be, but that's the way she liked it, wasn't it? The freedom to go wherever, whenever…

Elizabeth sighed as she looked up at the sunset. She remembered the last sunset she had had, on the pearl, with…

She huffed in annoyance as tears began to stream down her face. She shouldn't be thinking about him. He left her after all!

"Liz? Where are you?" Captain Avery called from below.

Elizabeth quickly wiped away her tears and climbed down. She forced a smile.

"Ah! There you are. I just though I should tell you, another ship has been spotted on the horizon. It's gaining fast." The Captain placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

Now, Captain Avery was a handsome man. He was young, and finely built with curly, brown hair and a sarcastic smile. Elizabeth knew he liked her, and she only wished she could return his feelings. She did everything she could to force herself, but a pirate with arrogant, golden smirk was always in the back of her mind. He was after all….her husband.

Avery moved toward her and lifted her chin so that she would meet his eyes. "Liz…"

"Captain!"

A Sailor came up to them and Avery quickly stepped back. Elizabeth blushed in embarrassment, and covered her mouth to stop herself from crying again. She missed him. She missed Jack.

"The ship! It's gaining!" The Sailor exclaimed.

"What color's she flying?" Avery asked, pulling out his compass to get a better look.

"None, by the looks of it. Rather odd choice of sails though, if you ask me…" Elizabeth heard the sailor say before rushing over to them and snatching the compass to get a better look.

"It's him…" She said in astonishment.

"What?" Avery asked confused.

"The Black Pearl." Elizabeth stated, hiding her true emotions.

"Is she friendly?"

"I wouldn't know…" Elizabeth said, brushing his question off. She moved through the men on deck running down the stairs to main deck

" I think you do know something and you're just not telling me." Avery said, following her. He took a hold of her hand.

"I told you I don't, what else do you want from me?" Elizabeth yelled, pushing him away

"Captain! Orders!" The Sailor asked from the helm, looking nervously at the ship next to them.

Avery continued to stare at her in, upset by her behavior.

"Fire." He whispered.

"Oh, I'm afraid it's too late for that…" Jack Sparrow slurred from on top of the railing, before hopping to the deck. Avery looked at him with wide eyes, glancing over at the ready cannons and men of the Pearl.

"Imagine: _The Fancy_, defeated, and without a single shot. That ought to make one hell of a story, don't you think?" Jack sauntered towards Avery, who pulled Elizabeth behind his back. Jack locked eyes with her surprised ones. "Well, if it isn't Mrs. Sparrow…"

Elizabeth forced her chin high, trying to hide the delight of her seeing him again. Jack noticed tears still glistening in her eyes

"Mrs. Sparrow?" Avery said, looking over his shoulder at Elizabeth, and let go of her.

Elizabeth tried to speak, but Jack cut her off. "Oh! She hasn't told you?" Jack glared at Avery, then back at Elizabeth. "That's interesting."

"What are you doing here?" Avery gave him a questionable look.

"Well, didn't I just tell you? Came to fetch me wifey here. Seems to have wandered a long way from home." Jack glared at Elizabeth, even though all he really wanted to do was to pull her into his arms. Jack moved towards her, but Avery stood in his path.

"Wait…you're?"

"Captain Jack Sparrow at your service mate," Jack said with a low bow, taking off his tricorn hat. "Now if you please…" Jack motioned to Avery with shooing hand motions. "Step aside."

Avery did step aside but Elizabeth merely walked away, crossing her arms across her chest. Jack followed after her.

"Oh, come on now love, you can't be too angry at me can you?" Jack said, leaning against the railing when she finally stopped.

"I hate you…" Elizabeth spat, tears streaming down her face.

"Lizzie…" Jack said, pained.

"How could you? You just left me there!"

"Just returning the favor, love…" Jack said, hiding his true feelings.

Elizabeth stomped towards him and hit him squarely across his face. "You bastard…" She said through her teeth when Jack grabbed her arms tightly, bringing her towards him.

"Is that anyway to treat the man you love?" Jack said with a smirk.

"You left me, Jack…Is that anyway to treat the woman you love?" Elizabeth spat at him, their faces just inches apart. Jack didn't let go of her, but the smirk on his face faltered. Elizabeth gripped his labels in her hands and played with them.

"I had to…I didn't want to put you in any more danger…" Jack said looking at her glistening eyes. "Please, Lizzie, please understand…"

She finally looked up to meet his eyes, stilling her hands and her silent sobbing.

"I can't do this…" Elizabeth finally said, breaking the moment, "Not again…" Elizabeth pushed him off of her and began to move down the steps.

"Lizzie…" Jack whined, until he saw her running into the arms of Avery. Jack cursed under his breath.

"Avery!" He bellowed drawing everyone's attention. "Either the girl comes with us, or you and your men are blasted to pieces. Your choice."

"What are you getting at, Sparrow?" Avery asked.

"It's your choice, Avery? You give us the woman, or I run you through with my sword faster than you can say Davy Jones's Locker." Jack threatened, ignoring Avery's question. Jack locked eyes with Elizabeth and noticed how surprised she was.

"What if I don't like either of those options?" Avery said arrogantly.

"Then we'll do both!" Jack shouted, signaling to his crew, "Fire!"

Jack quickly ran over to Elizabeth and lifted her into his arms while she protested.

"Jack!"

"Sorry, love. I refuse to lose the things that are important to me."

Jack then swung them over to the Pearl. He didn't set Elizabeth back down.

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth asked surprised.

"Lifting my bride over the threshold. Thought I should do things properly for once…" Jack said with a bright smile.

He brought her into their cabin and slammed the door shut.

"What?" Elizabeth asked, watching him curiously.

"Just trying to give you a welcome home present, love." Jack said closing the distance between them. He kissed her passionately, feeling her muscles relax under his fingertips. As the kiss continued, she wrapped her arms behind his neck and pulled his head down towards her as much as possible. Jack smirked against her lips. "Welcome home…"

Elizabeth giggled as Jack moved them towards the bed and they both flopped down on it. Jack lay on top of her and started kissing her neck, while Elizabeth drew her hands across his chest.

"I missed this…" Elizabeth confessed, causing Jack to look up at her.

"I missed you." He said with a sweet smile, brushing his fingers across her cheek and lips. She kissed him, burrowing her hand into his dreadlocks and pulling his head towards her.

"I'm sorry Jack. I shouldn't have run off with Henry…" Elizabeth whispered against his lips, causing him to stiffen.

"I'd prefer it if you'd never mention that man again. Especially with such familiarity…" Jack growled upset, moving away from her. Elizabeth quickly caught his face in her hands.

"Nothing happened." Jack turned away from her in pain, "Trust me?"

Jack quickly looked back at her, rubbing her cheek with his thumb, confusion floating over his continence.

"Do you trust me Jack?" Elizabeth asked again, worried.

"What about you?" Jack asked hurt, turning the tables. "Can you trust me? Can you trust that all that I do is in your best interest? That I would never do anything to hurt you? That I…" Jack choked, and looked into her eyes.

"Oh, Jack…"Elizabeth said with a broken laugh. "I'm surprised you even have to ask."

Elizabeth moved to kiss him again, but he stopped her lips with his finger. "Does this mean we're good now?"

"Perfect…" Elizabeth said with a bright smile, twisting one of his braids around his finger.

"Good, because I don't know how many more fights I can handle…"

"Shh…" Elizabeth said, silencing him with _her_ finger this time. "These plenty of time to talk later."

"Lizzie, I…"

"Stupid man. Will you just be quiet and kiss me already?" Elizabeth said with a giggle.

Jack smirked at her. "As the lady commands…"

* * *

Please review with your final thoughts. :)


	26. Chapter 26

_Weeks later_

"That's what I heard. Escaped from half of the Royal Navy, herself!" A man with a large, scraggy beard bellowed at the bar.

"Really? And do you know where this, Lizzie Sparrow, is now?" Barbossa asked, narrowing his eyes at the extremely drunk soldier before him.

"How should I know?" The man shouted before guzzling down the rest of his rum. He then raised the mug in the air motioning for a waitress to refill it.

Barbossa slammed his hands on the table and grabbed the drunk by his collar. "For the last blooming time, where is she?"

"Refill sir." The waitress growled through her teeth.

Barbossa looked over to see an all to familiar looking waitress.

Elizabeth then smashed the glass bottle over Barbossa's head, causing him to drop the soldier.

"Whoa!" The drunken man called out in surprise, before crawling away.

Elizabeth quickly ran behind the counter, dodging Barbossa's fist.

"Pretty good for a governor's daughter." Barbossa spat, trying to get under her skin.

"How's this for a governor's daughter…" Elizabeth pulled her sword out of her belt and lunged over the bar, tossing many drinks aside.

"So, how's that husband of yours, hmm?" Barbossa taunted as they paired. "Oh, that's right. From what I've heard, he's dead!"

Elizabeth pushed her sword against Barbossa's, blocking his blow from above. "Why don't you ask him?" She growled, shoving him back so that he pushed through a large crowd of people.

Barbossa looked around everywhere, seeing unfriendly, nameless faces.

"There you are Hector. I was wondering what became of you after you lost the pearl…"

Barbossa looked frantically for the source of the noise, holding his sword threatening in front of him.

"Pity about that. Always seems to happen though…" Jack continued.

"Come out you bloody coward." Barbossa shouted, nervous.

"Hello Hector." Jack whispered from behind him, his pistol right at Barbossa's temple. "Missed me?"

"I thought you liked to play fair Jack."

"Fair is a matter of perspective. When someone comes after one's wife, fair goes completely out the window." Jack growled, noticing Barbossa's crewmembers coming towards them.

Elizabeth came up behind them, as well as Will, Nicole, and Bootstrap. Bootstrap knocked one of them out as soon as they arrived.

"Nice one, Father." Will said with a smirk, patting Bill's shoulder.

"It does feel good to be back." Bill said with a smile, then they all turned their attention on Jack once more.

"What's it going to be, Hector? Ready to give up on the pearl and this ridiculous plan of revenge?" Jack asked, losing his hold on Barbossa just enough that he manage to escape.

"Sorry Jack. Not this time." Barbossa smirked evilly at them, pulling out his sword.

"Jack…" Elizabeth ran over to him and tugged on his arm, begging him to reconsider. She remembered what Jack had said about the wound in his side. "Be careful." She finally said, noticing the determination in his eyes.

"It's alright, Elizabeth." Jack said, cupping her cheek in his hand. "I'll be fine. I'm a big boy remember." He teased. "I can take care of myself."

"So, the infamous Jack Sparrow…" Barbossa slide his sword against Jack's. "You know you can't beat me. We've already proven that."

"You've crossed the line, Barbossa, and now it's my turn to get revenge." Jack muttered the last part under his breath.

"I thought you always run away from a fight?" Barbossa spat, causing Jack to grimace. He could only imagine what Elizabeth's face looked like at that moment.

"Not anymore, mate. Not anymore." Jack said with a smirk, before pulling out his gun and shooting Barbossa in the chest.

Barbossa's face took on a look of complete shock as he dropped to the floor.

"I should have done that years ago…" Jack whispered, putting his pistol away.

"Jack!" Elizabeth cried, running into his arms.

"It's over now, love. We won't have to deal with that wretch ever again." Jack whispered into her hair. He then brushed it aside and kissed her neck lovingly.

"So…" Bill said awkwardly, noticing that the other couple was embracing as well. "What do we do now?"

"Sail the seven seas, of course!" Nicole said with a bright smile. She still with Will's arm wrapped around her.

"Find adventure where ever we go!" Bill shouted proudly, raising his hands in the air.

"Go wherever the wind takes us." Will smirked, looking down at the woman in his arms.

"Take what we can…" Jack whispered in Elizabeth's ear, his arms around her waist.

Elizabeth turned in his arms to face him, and then kissed him passionately, biting slightly on his lower lip. She giggled and they both gazed into each other's eyes, smirking.

"Give nothing back…"


End file.
